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Leonard Ncube , Victoria Falls Reporter
GOVERNMENT has put much focus on the operationalisation of the Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as one of the key deliverables under the National Development Strategy (NDS1) (2021-2025).
The tourism SEZ will lead to development of the Masue Integrated Tourism Resort, a new city that will have five-star hotels, upmarket shopping malls, commercial institutional entities, civic and convention centre, multi-purpose hotel school and a central business district among other developments on the state land about 10km outside the current Victoria Falls City.
The Government wants to make Victoria Falls a tourism and financial services capital and the Second Republic has deliberately focused its priorities to the resort city, including plans to come up with Masue and Batoka cities.
This will help create a tourism corridor stretching from Kazungula, west of Victoria Falls to Hwange including areas around Lake Gwayi-Shangani, Binga, Sijalila and Kariba.
The Government established and appointed Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company, which falls under the Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry, to spearhead tourism infrastructure development in the SEZ and the company has been conducting a feasibility study with assistance from Old Mutual Life Assurance.
The ministry organised a validation workshop, which started Monday and is being attended by various stakeholders from Government and private sector here, to interrogate the Victoria Falls SEZ feasibility study and pave way for its operationalisation.
Last year the Government started crafting a blue-print to guide operationalisation of the greater Victoria Falls SEZ and Cabinet approved the Integrated Development Programme/Conceptual Development Framework for the Victoria Falls-Hwange-Binga SEZ whose idea is to integrate economic activities, catapult growth and improve livelihoods in the province.
Tourism Minister deputy Minister Barbara Rwodzi on Monday said the SEZ was one of the key projects that President Mnangagwa has given priority as it will also unlock the potential of tourism towards Vision 2030.
“I am extremely delighted that this important workshop marks a key step in the realisation of one of our key targets under the National Development Strategy (NDS1, 2021-2025), which is to ensure the development of the Masue Integrated Tourism Resort,” she said.
“As you are all aware, Government approved the development of the tourism SEZ corridor stretching from the current Victoria Falls City all the way to Binga and Kariba.
“This corridor has key nodes, which include the regeneration of the existing city, as well as Masuwe, Batoka, Hwange, Binga, Mlibizi, Sijarira and Kariba.
It also includes the development of tourism infrastructure around the soon to be completed Gwayi-Shangani Dam.
“This workshop should act as a catalyst to a series of events that will set the foundation for the actual development of bulk infrastructure on the SEZ.”
Once the feasibility report has been approved, the expectation will be for Mosi to move full throttle in implementation of the recommendations of the feasibility study report.
Dep Minister Rwodzi said the operationalisation of the tourism corridor SEZ was one of the first projects under the tourism sector that President tasked the Environment Ministry to give impetus to.
The realisation of developments along this tourism corridor is key to unlocking the latent potential of tourism to play a key role towards the realisation of the National Vision 2030 towards an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income economy by 2030.
The Deputy Minister applauded Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company for implementing the long-awaited feasibility study, which she said was the beginning of a long journey that will finally lead establishing of the Masuwe Integrated Tourism Resort.
“To this end, it is therefore incumbent upon us as the ministry to ensure that we keep track and vigorously push for the development of tourism and enabling infrastructure along this corridor,” she said.
“Indeed, His Excellency the President indicated that the project is one that will be under the watchful eye of the Vice-President (Constantino Chiwenga). We should, therefore, not be found wanting.”
Dep Minister Rwodzi said the recent commissioning of three new hotels by President Mnangagwa in Victoria Falls was testimony of the great strides made in development of tourism facilities and desire to make the resort a destination of choice.
“Without doubt, Government envisions the Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone to become a competitive world class tourism investment destination,” she said.
“The development of the Victoria Falls Tourism Integrated Park will result in significant benefits accruing to the Zimbabwe tourism industry and the economy.”
Acting Matabeleland North provincial development co-ordinator, Mr Tapera Mugoriya, said Matabeleland North has become the heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector. – @ncubeleon
Online Reporter