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Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE drafting of Zimbabwe’s tourism master plan has entered the second phase mainly focusing on situational analysis as the country targets to launch the document before the end of the year.
The plan, seen as the sector’s guideline in the quest to push tourism into a $5 billion industry is being done by Keios Development Consulting (KDC) under instruction from the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
KDC senior local partner Mr Sherperd Nyaruwata said the first phase which involved consulting stakeholders in the industry was done and now they were sifting the data to come out with the draft.
“The first phase which was extensive consultation with industry players was done and at the moment we are working on situational analysis. By June this year we will be identifying clusters and zones which will then lead to putting together a draft master plan after further consultations,” said Mr Nyaruwata.
He said the five-year detailed master plan will be used to undertake annual action plans for tourism and ensure that the Government is in a position to develop tourism in the country.
Deliberations to have a national tourism master plan have been in the pipeline for a number of years and Mr Nyaruwata confirmed that finalising of the process will be done this year.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Dr Walter Mzembi said the master plan will give the country direction and added that efforts are going to be channeled towards ensuring that it is implemented.
“It has taken us so many years to come this far but we are planning to make it a reality, we will start implementing the master plan soon,” said Dr Mzembi.
The national tourism master plan will give direction to product development and diversification, infrastructure development and manpower development.
In the rural areas, the plan is expected to prescribe how youth and other ordinary people will get opportunities in the sector while nature, culture and heritage will be reserved.
Meanwhile, Air Zimbabwe has said the Victoria Falls International Airport which has been upgraded will help the company in planning and taking advantage to increase traffic into the resort town.
Air Zimbabwe Passenger and Cargo acting general manager Mr Christopher Kwenda said the new airport created flexibility in planning.
“We will now be able to use bigger equipment like the airbus and interchange equipment. The new airport presents opportunities to satisfy customers and boost tourism in the country,” he said.
Mr Kwenda said with the completion of the airport, the national carrier would also have flexibility in planning for future routes and flying directly to source markets.
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