UNWTO preps in full throttle

has gone full swing in its preparations.

While most of the critics of the project in the media have inexplicably gone mum, Zimbabwe and Zambia have not rested to make the mega event a success.

Although there has not been construction of legacy or signature infrastructure as expected by many, in the past month or so, there has been re-kitting, re-tooling and facelift on many structures in the town.

Legacy or signature buildings are those built for mega events, and will be remembered, thereafter for hosting the events, like what the Government did in 1992 with the construction of the Harare International Conference Centre for the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting.

While such buildings are necessary as memorabilia, they are not a must and neither have they been a prerequisite for the hosting of UNWTO General Assemblies.

That aside, away from the madding media, the tourism and hospitality industry has gone into overdrive, with the support of Government departments, resulting in massive sprucing up work taking place.

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The Victoria Falls Hospital has undergone a facelift and re-kitting with new equipment, the water supply system is being overhauled, almost very road has now been resurfaced, while the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway is being widened from the Victoria Falls International Airport to the town. Work there is seriously in progress.

The Victoria Falls International Airport itself is having its runway expanded to enable it to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft while the terminal building is being extended to accommodate more passengers.

Work has already started after Vice President Joice Mujuru, commissioned the launch of the project, last month.

The hotels have not stopped facelifts and while the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the vanguard of the country’s tourism and hospitality industry has embarked on massive training of hotel staff in the resort town, to prepare them for hosting the mega event where more than 1 200 delegates are expected.

Zimbabwe and Zambia have started working on friendly visa regime to allow visitors to have access to both countries without hitches.

What is left is refining or tying the loose ends, to make the event a success.
This is the fist ever time the UNWTO General Assembly is being held in Southern Africa and the second ever time it is being held in Africa, after Senegal hosted it in 2007.

The UNWTO General Assembly brings high profile delegates from the 170 countries that constitute the world tourism family, among them government ministers and the two Presidents of the hosting countries, Cde Mugabe and Mr Michael Sata who will officially open, the general assembly.