Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Acting Business Editor.
ZIMBABWE Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, Dr Frederick Shava has urged the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority to re-establish a tourism office in the United States of America as that market is lucrative.
According to the Visitor Exit Survey, in 2018 Zimbabwe recorded a total of 95 025 arrivals from the USA and that country remains Zimbabwe’s top performing overseas market with an average spending of US$888 per traveller.
Speaking on the sidelines of the New York Times Travel Fair over the weekend, Dr Shava recognised the significance of the USA market which was presently topping the overseas arrivals in Zimbabwe.
He said the market was making a significant contribution to the country’s foreign currency earnings.
“For Zimbabwe to tap in to this lucrative market, Zimbabwe tourism should re-establish a tourism office in the US,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
Zimbabwe used to have a tourism office in Washington DC.
“Zimbabwe’s participation at the New York Times Travel Show is extremely important. It emphasises the importance that Zimbabwe is open for business and this is part of the business.
“Tourism contributes significantly to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and New York is one of the best destinations for publicising tourism.
“Zimbabwe depends on a lot of tourism traffic from the US and particularly from New York,” said Dr Shava.
Dr Shava said ZTA should take advantage of the country’s re-engagement policy to market the tourism sector to countries such as the US.
“We should promote what Zimbabwe can do, what Zimbabwe can offer to the tourism market and the beauty of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Meanwhile, ZTA has come up with marketing strategies set to assist the country reclaim its market share in the US market.
These include aggressive digital marketing, roadshows, educational tours, trade trainings and media engagements.
The New York Times is the largest Travel Trade and Consumer Show in North America attracting more than 35 000 attendees with more than 700 exhibitors from more than 175 countries. — @okazunga
Online Reporter