adminIn an interview after the tour of the four proposed sites of the convention centre in the resort town, the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande said the centre would become leverage to Victoria Falls ahead of other destinations.
He said the development was also going to create a lot of economic activity for the town.
Said Rtd Col Katsande: “The convention centre will create Victoria Falls as a destination of choice. Right now capacity of hosting events of a bigger magnitude is limiting the town. As a result, groups are opting for places with the capacity to hold large numbers of people ahead of Victoria Falls.
“It was high time I think we went for the convention centre to make sure that we are really positioning Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe to host such big events.”
He said the construction of the convention centre was coming at a time when the Government was looking at other developmental projects to add value to Victoria Falls.
“Because major development is allowed in the town centre we are taking this opportunity to make sure that we move further out of town,” said Rtd Col Katsande.
He said the convention centre, which would house a shopping mall, a hotel or two and other state-of-the-art structures, would be the heartbeat of Victoria Falls.
Rtd Col Katsande said any development of the resort town should be planned so that the World Heritage status of the town is maintained.
Rtd Col Katsande said he was delighted to note that the inter-ministerial committee now had a firm recommendation of the proposed site of the convention centre, which he said would be presented to the chair of the Cabinet Committee, Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
“I am delighted to note that we now have a firm recommendation of the site we want, we now have technical data that explains why we have chosen the site against three others and we are taking it to Harare.
“Shortly we will receive a decision on the matter from a higher office with regard to the proposed site for the convention centre,” he said.
Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Nkosilathi Jiyane made a passionate call to the Government to start holding national events in the resort town to prepare it for the general assembly.
Zimbabwe and Zambia won the bid to co-host the 2013 UNWTO Assembly, to be held in Victoria Falls and Livingstone.
The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the UNWTO and its ordinary sessions are held every two years.
They are attended by delegates of the full and associate members, as well as representatives of the business council.
It would be the largest world gathering of countries in Zimbabwe since the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting held in the resort town about two decades ago.
Zimbabwe and Zambia become the second hosts in Africa to win the bid after Senegal in 2005.
The UNWTO consists of 155 countries, seven territories and more than 400 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.
Online Reporter