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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Tourists coming into Zimbabwe in the first six months of this year grew by 50 percent to 529 078, compared to the same period last year.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has attributed the sector’s continued positive performance to marketing and investment initiatives.
In the first half of 2023, tourist arrivals from outside Africa were 148 340 compared to 2022 where arrivals were 133 776.
And from the African continent arrivals shot up 91 percent from 232 286 in 2022 to 443 184 in 2023.
Interestingly, average hotel occupancy was 39 percent in 2022 while this year it currently stands at 41 percent.
ZTA chief executive officer, Ms Winnie Muchanyuka has been calling for the tourism and hospitality industry to collaborate with the Government in bidding for the Meetings Incentives Conferences Exhibitions (MICE) tourism events.
Speaking at the 2022 edition of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) congress in Victoria Falls, Ms Muchanyuka encouraged the hospitality industry players to continue working closely with the Authority and other Government arms to jointly formulate strategies to bid for more MICE business.
She said there was a lot of potential for the country to create more MICE business locally and called for a more collaborative approach in the tourism sector.
The first half of 2022 saw 5705 functions being hosted while 354 553 participants attended the MICE events at national level.
Harare, Bulawayo and the Mutare-Vumba regions dominated most in terms of functions held, accounting for a combined 71 percent at national level.
Harare Province continued to dominate MICE business followed by Bulawayo and Mutare/Vumba.
Online Reporter