adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The 15th edition of Tour de Tuli tourism expedition that is held annually in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA), a mega park made up of national parks from Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, will be held between July 23 and 28.
The event is being jointly organised by authorities from the three nations and will be running for the 15th year and 10th year since Zimbabwe joined in 2009.
The mega-park is located on the western part of Beitbridge and comprises the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (Botswana), Tuli National Park and Maramani Communal lands (Zimbabwe) and the Mapungubwe National Park (South Africa).
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo said yesterday that the expedition involves mountain bike tours and seeks to market the GMTFCA as one of the best tourist resorts in the Sadc region.
He said the cyclists pass through three countries during the course of the event.
“This year we are targeting approximately 300 cyclists and 120 volunteers, but however, we are hoping to get an overwhelming number as the event has been growing annually,” said Mr Farawo.
“So far we have had meetings with all stakeholders concerned in the movement of these tourists.
“Every player has shown commitment in making sure that this event becomes a great success. We need to enhance our operations to ensure that we continue attracting more tourists to the park.
“We will be having a lot of tourist, cycling for 250km in the week-long event, experiencing unique, thrilling and untravelled wilderness trails among a range of activities.
“Most of the visitors are from; South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, United States of America, Britain, Canada, Germany, Australia, Austria, Italy, Netherlands and Zimbabwe”.
He said the event will also be used to promote tourism, community wildlife and environment conservation methods.
Mr Farawo said it was also important for the people living within the GMTFCA to be educated on the benefits that come with the wildlife around them.
“There is also going to be job creation in the communities during the course of Tour de Tuli, because they will engage labour and they will also procure the products locally, including food and the tour) guides.
“In addition, this is part of educational tourism for our people,” he said.
Mr Farawo said the route had already been mapped.
The Herald is reliably informed that the participants will spend a night at Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site on the first day (July 23) before proceeding to Zimbabwe on the following day via a temporary tourism border post along the Limpopo River.
They will then camp in Zimbabwe for one day before proceeding to Botswana through another informal crossing point to Botswana and put up for two nights before proceeding to South Africa through another informal crossing point along the Limpopo River.
Online Reporter