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He was chauffeured to a local hotel where he met Dr Rifai who paid a courtesy call on him before the day’s proceedings.
Dr Rifai described the event as a special day for Zimbabwe and Zambia, paying tribute to both leaders for their support for tourism development.
The meeting, according to sources, was held in a very cordial and friendly manner in which the two leaders shared some lighter moments.
In welcoming the secretary-general, President Mugabe said: “The world will not understand when they hear that you have come and we have not eaten you.”
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Dr Rifai interjected saying he would tell them that he was “actually well fed”.
“After this visit many more would want to come after that,” President Mugabe said.
Dr Rifai also praised President Mugabe for dedicating a full ministry to tourism development.
The leaders later travelled to the Victoria Falls Bridge for the signing ceremony.
President Sata, however, insisted that he would not wait for President Mugabe at the podium but walk him to the no-man’s land.
“There is no way I am going to let an elder statesman walk to me. I would rather walk to him and walk him to the podium,” President Sata told his officials.
Accompanied by the serene sound of the waterfalls a few hundred metres from the bridge and intermittent spray, the signing ceremony was marked by traditional dance, cheers and ululation from citizens of both countries.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi and his Zambian Foreign Affairs and Tourism counterpart led by signing the co-hosting agreement.
President Mugabe, President Sata and Dr Rifai signed the Golden Book and Trilateral Hosting Agreement.
Dr Rifai then handed over to President Mugabe a special letter signed by all heads of state from UNWTO member countries.
The letter was an acknowledgement of Zimbabwe and Zambia’s co-hosting of the assembly.
In his speech, President Mugabe said co-hosting of the general assembly was a challenge to both Zimbabwe and Zambia to invest more into the sector.
“Indeed tourism has the potential to create employment, help in the fight against poverty, empower our people and take us closer to meeting some of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals,” he said.
The signing of the agreement, President Mugabe said, attests to both countries’ commitment and readiness to welcome the tourism fraternity to the Victoria Falls.
He said the agreement testified to the confidence and trust bestowed to both countries by the UNWTO.
“It is a huge responsibility but one that we earned through the hard work that our campaigns performed to have this important meeting come to Africa.
“I want to assure you Mr Secretary General and all other stakeholders of our unyielding resolve and determination to make the forthcoming UNWTO Assembly a memorable one.”
He said the event “actualised” a yearning to promote seamless cross border tourism between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
“For us as “Siamese twins,” Zimbabwe and Zambia, the pledge is to assiduously work together towards August next year and hence the signing ceremony confirms our readiness to work together to promote tourism primarily in our countries while also casting the net wider to reach other tourism markets,” he said.
President Mugabe said the event demonstrated the long-established relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia and their peoples.
“It is a relationship that was shaped, tried and tested by the difficult times visited upon our people by settler colonialism,” he said.
President Sata said the A greement marks the accelerated preparations for the General Assembly.
“The event is a rare opportunity for the two countries, the co-hosting of the general assembly attests to the UNWTO’s commitment to developing Africa’s tourism.”
He said Zambia would embark on a comprehensive review of policy to have buy-in from all stakeholders.
President Sata, however, lamented the visa regimes in both countries.
“We should look at how we can improve this so that tourists can just “walk in” and enjoy the beauties of our countries,” he said.
The general assembly, President Sata said, was a precursor for more tourism activities for Zimbabwe and Zambia.
He urged the event organisers to involve local communities in their activities.
Dr Rifai said the assembly was a symbol of unity beyond description bringing together central global phenomena.
He said the event was the largest transfer of voluntary funding bringing together people from various cultures and norms.
“The event provides an opportunity of celebrating what is beautiful, it is however, a countdown to the greatest meeting in tourism,” he said.
Dr Rifai however said Africa deserved the much more from the sector than the five percent share received each year.
“The continent currently gets 50 people a year but some project it to rise to more than 150 million visitors per year,” he said.
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