adminLeonard Ncube Senior Reporter
THE Government has availed $60,000 to Victoria Falls Town to start post United Nations World Tourism General Assembly (UNWTO) legacy projects. Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi told the business community and other partners in Victoria Falls on Wednesday that $120, 000 had been set aside to be shared by Victoria Falls and Livingstone in Zambia for successfully co-hosting last year’s General Assembly.
“It is a tradition to plan legacy projects after historic events. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon expected me to address you on this issue because $120,000 was availed to Zimbabwe and Zambia. If we decide to split it that means Victoria Falls gets $60,000 which we can use as seed capital for legacy projects,” said Eng Mzembi.
He made reference to CHOGM Park which was constructed after the 1991 CHOGM Summit.
The Victoria Falls community suggested the need for setting up sporting facilities such as soccer and cricket pitches, establishment of a cultural centre, training and vocational centre, solar project, swimming and recreation pool among others.
The meeting agreed the $60,000 be used to build a world class swimming pool to encompass other related recreational facilities to attract international events.
“All towns in the country have sporting facilities which is why they have hosted the Mbada Diamonds Cup while Victoria Falls despite being the premier tourist centre in the country cannot because there are no such facilities,” said one contributor.
“We even missed out on hosting training sessions for some international teams during the 2010 World Cup because they could not camp in a town which does not have training facilities. If we can build one, that would help our town.”
Eng Mzembi said although the money would be used for a swimming pool, he would brief his counterpart in the Ministry of Sports and Culture Cde Andrew Langa for a possible consideration of upgrading football pitches in the resort town.
“With this budget I think we can build a world class swimming pool. We have a disused pool which can be transformed into a competitive Olympiad one where children can play as well,” he said.
The minister tasked the steering committee to spearhead preparations as the project should be finished within three months.
Meanwhile, Eng Mzembi said the government was committed to transforming Victoria Falls Town into a world shopping destination as it is shifting its attention to the resort town as its conference capital.
“We have to speed up our plans to connect Victoria Falls to any destination. Government is turning attention to Victoria Falls as its conference capital which is why the Sadc Summit is coming here. We expect you to cooperate while Harare will only be guiding you because you will be a permanent feature in terms of conferences,” added Eng Mzembi.
He said more expansion work would take place at Victoria Falls Airport to connect it to all possible destinations and emulate countries like Dubai which thrive on air connectedness.
Vice President Joice Mujuru is the patron of tourism in the country and Eng Mzembi said she had shown commitment to the development of the resort town into a world destination of choice.
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