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Business Reporter
SOUTH Africa has continued to dominate as Zimbabwe’s major source market for tourists on the continent with 170 327 South Africans visiting the country in the first quarter. Last year, South Africa was in top position accounting for 133 033 tourists coming into Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) in its 2013 first quarter tourist arrivals and statistics report also indicated that mainland Africa continued to dominate in its contribution to arrivals into the country.
It recorded 346 428 tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe during the period under review up from 308 646 in 2012.
“South Africa remained on top position. Tanzania rose from position eight to seven while Zambia fell from second position to third position.
“These were the only markets that moved as the rest of the top 10 Africa markets remained unchanged in rank,” the tourism authority said.
Tourist arrivals from Malawi during the first quarter was 55 643 resulting in that country claiming second position.
Zambia was third with 47 538 of its citizens visiting Zimbabwe.
Other countries from Africa listed on the top list were Mozambique, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya and Swaziland.
“Most of the tourist arrivals (73 percent) into the country resulted from visitors on holiday and those visiting friends and relatives. The market share of the visiting friends and relatives category, however, has shrunk giving way to business and shopping tourists whose market share has improved,” said ZTA.
It said while Zimbabwe receives a lot of arrivals from the region, the visitors were low spenders compared to a basket of high spenders from overseas who were attracted by Islands such as Mauritius.
“South Africa continues to be the key source market in mainland Africa with a market share of 49 percent of arrivals which is a six percentage point increase from 43 percent in 2012.
“Although South Africa registered a relative growth of 28 percent, it should be noted that in absolute terms this is 37 294 which can be comparable to total arrivals from Mozambique during the same period.”
Overseas arrivals increased by five percent from 37 653 last year to 57 854 in the first quarter.
Online Reporter