Victoria Falls cricket stadium milestone towards US$5 billion tourism industry

TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Minister, Barbara Rwodzi, has said construction of the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium in Victoria Falls is a significant milestone towards the US$5 billion tourism and hospitality industry by 2025 and a step towards the achievement of Vision 2030.

Speaking during a ceremony to lay the foundation stone to mark the beginning of work on the construction of the cricket stadium by President Mnangagwa last Thursday, Minister Rwodzi said the project is also a key driver to the country’s infrastructure development agenda.

She commended the Whole of Government Approach exhibited by various line ministries and key stakeholders towards implementation of the project.

“The implementation of the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium on the Masuwe Special Economic Zone in Victoria Falls marks the beginning of a key project within our sports tourism cluster.

“The development of this international cricket stadium by Zimbabwe Cricket is supported by the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Recreation and key stakeholders in the Whole of Government Approach,” said Minister Rwodzi.

“We have the determination and consistency to finish this project and to bring more investment on the land that the Government has parcelled to the ministry.

“We are very focused and determined to ensure that tourism infrastructure will grow in the country in the next four years. We will continue with my colleague ministers whom we have come together in the Whole of Government Approach, to work together to ensure this infrastructure comes to fruition.”

Minister Rwodzi said the project speaks to the robust physical infrastructure for tourism and hospitality, a significant growth factor in Zimbabwe’s economic matrix.

She said the tourism development and promotion strategy that was developed and adopted is founded on a cluster-based approach, which improves both efficiency and effectiveness of the tourism and hospitality industry as a growth factor.

“We are certain that the tourism and hospitality industry as a cluster framework is a unique innovation in our development and promotion programmes,” said Minister Rwodzi.

Sports, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, said the Government has embarked on the construction of similar multi-purpose sport and recreation facilities across the country, notably Uhera Ground in Murambinda, Checheche Multi-Purpose Court in Chipinge and Rafemoyo Multi-purpose in Gutu.

She said the economic and social impact of sporting facilities have far-reaching benefits as they have become the main attraction for local, international and elite athletes.

“These sporting facilities bring about the much-needed revenue and they are also a platform to employ the community and up-bring a healthy community. These developments give testimony to the level of commitment exercised by my Ministry guided by the National Development Strategy 1,” said Minister Coventry.

“Sports tourism is a vibrant industry, which we need to tap into and as a Ministry, we aspire to turn around the lives of the citizenry through sport and recreation and infrastructure development, which seeks to establish centres of sporting excellence in all provinces.”

Minister Coventry said the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium will help improve the quality of sport in the country.

“My Ministry endeavours to create and sustain a conducive environment for the development and promotion of sport and recreation in Zimbabwe,” she said.

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Richard Moyo, said the project is a positive development for the growth of the province.

“This great project will not only drive Matabeleland North, but the entire nation towards a prosperous and upper-middle-income society by 2030. This development is a much-welcomed addition to Matabeleland North as we always look forward to investment that will benefit the community and the province at large,” he said.

“I wish to commend the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry through the Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company and Ministry of Sport, Arts and Recreation for collaboration and bringing this investment to Matabeleland North. We promise that we will support the Government and Second Republic.”

Last year, Zimbabwe Cricket was allocated 10ha of land on the 271ha Masuwe state land to construct an international stadium and ancillary facilities to promote sports tourism.

The Ministry of Tourism Hospitality Industry owns the 10ha land through Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company on which the cricket stadium is being built, while the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Recreation is the overseer of sporting facilities.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife facilitated the change of use of the site from an animal corridor into a Special Economic Zone.

The Government set up Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company (Pvt) Ltd, a State enterprise as an investment vehicle for the development of tourism in Victoria Falls. —@ncubeleon