UNWTO centre to be turned into permanent structure

Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has approved the conversion of the semi-permanent conference centre, which was used for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly in August this year, into a permanent structure, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi has said.

He told journalists on Wednesday that the construction, which is expected to be completed by March next year, would cost Government and investors a total of US$6 million.

“We retained 80 percent of the structure in storage at Elephant Hills Hotel and we are going to reconstruct around that material to build a permanent structure,” he said.

Last month, the US$1,2 million aluminium and glass structure was dismantled invoking uncertainty over the repositioning of Victoria Falls as a conferencing destination.

The structure, which has a capacity to accommodate about 1 500 people and has a lifespan of 30 years, was put up at the Elephant Hills Resort Hotel before the general assembly.

Minister Mzembi said the new permanent structure would not be put at the Elephant Hills but would be constructed at a neutral venue still to be decided on.

“We are negotiating with the Victoria Falls municipality for a more neutral ground for the setting up of the facility. I emphasise neutral ground because it is going to be a State joint venture with an independent operator in terms of its management.

“We want to make sure that we are fair to each and every hotel operator in the area by not situating it in any specific hotel facility because it will be hosting national and international events. We have several offers of suitable places including Elephant Hills,” he said.

He said the construction of the conference centre was of great importance as it would mitigate some of the challenges that the country could face in promoting Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) business.

“MICE business has great potential but there is need for extensive investment in professional and world- class conferencing facilities. It is our vision that such facilities will be decentralised so that we take tourism development to all corners of the country,” he said.

“We also hope that such critical thematic issues like the funding of the sector, aviation policies, destination access, e-commerce and connectivity will be given adequate attention.”

He added that there were at least six conferences to be held at the conference centre once it was complete. He highlighted the Routes Africa 2014, an airline and airport networking forum for the region which will be held in June next year as well as the All Africa Blood Transfusion conference.

“These conferences are multi-sectoral, we will not focus on one sector. What we are doing beyond MICE is to make sure Zimbabwe takes its rightful position in terms of conferencing in Africa.

“ We have been busy attending everyone’s conferences and its time people visited Zimbabwe to do conferences here,” he said.
Minister Mzembi noted that 20 percent of the inclusive Government’s budget had been for travelling to attend other people’s conferences, receptions and meetings.

“We want Zimbabwe to be the magnet for conferencing business. We have everything going for us, we are host to one of the Seven Wonders of the World so they can come to see it and conference at the same time,” he said.