WATCH: First Family leads domestic tourism drive

THE country’s domestic tourism drive received a huge boost at the weekend when the First Family visited the World’s View in the Eastern Highlands in Nyanga, one of the country’s top tourist attractions in Manicaland province.

Leading from the front in showcasing the vast tourist heritage sites, President Mnangagwa, who is on his annual leave, and First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and their children, also visited the Pristine Inyanga and the Nyanga Tilapia Farm where they spent time blending with nature and enjoying the fun, including fishing.

The visit by the first family is a milestone boost to the Domestic Tourism Campaign, #ZimBHO, launched by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry last November under the theme: “Uripi/Ungaphi” — spanning November 6 up to January 15.

In his remarks during the visit, President Mnangagwa said he was charmed by the increase in the number of both local and international tourists visiting the country, which resonates well with the Second Republic’s vision of attaining a US$5 billion tourism industry by 2025.

“Yesterday (Saturday) I took my family to visit the World’s View in Nyanga and toured sites and trout farms in the area in line with the Government’s vision of supporting domestic tourism,” he posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

“It is one of the leading tourist attractions in the country. I am encouraged by the increased number of both local and international tourists visiting our country. Equally, investments in new tourism products and facilities, which bolsters the sector are a welcome development.”

The First Lady, as the patron of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has been instrumental in promoting intense domestic tourism-focused programmes across the country where communities have showcased attractive traditional meals and cultural heritage artefacts that are a marvel to tourists and help in income-generating while preserving the country’s unique values.

“Our sincere gratitude to the patron of our ministry, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for taking her whole family on an excursion to Inyanga during their annual break, a great sign of wisdom and support for their own country,” Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Cde Barbara Rwodzi commented.

“Uripi/Ungaphi, unani/ulobani, ZimBHO’ kuInyanga, neFirst Family. We are happy the First Family supported our ZimBHO campaign.”

Managed by the National Trust of Zimbabwe, the World’s View is set high on a hill that affords stunning views of the surrounding landscape. From an altitude of 2 000m, the escarpment drops 600m to the plain below. On top of the hill, there is the large circular Astra Toposcope with numerous plaques of black granite around the perimeter with radiating lines indicating the direction and direct distance to thirty cities, towns, and places of interest.

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, said it was exciting that President Mnangagwa and his family have chosen to spend quality time in the country as opposed to going abroad.

“The First Family is leading from the front in supporting Domestic Tourism. The First Family has taken its holiday in Nyanga, not Dubai, not Seychelles, not any other country, but in our own Zimbabwe,” he said.

Nyanga is particularly interesting for botanists and ornithologists, comprising vegetation types associated with either the basal granite or the dolerite cap. The mist belt area, of some 70 hectares, is located on the western edge of the Nyanga Downs plateau.

Although not always clear there are traces of early stone walling in the grasslands and adjacent kopjes. These are part of the unique Nyanga Cultural Tradition.

The earliest stage of the Nyanga Tradition is represented by several large, stonewalled settlements that crown some of the major peaks in the northern Nyanga highlands between World’s View and Chirimanyimo Hill. They are also found on some of the higher peaks of the Nyanga Downs.

These date from the 14th to 15th centuries and lie between 2 000-2 400m above sea level in exposed locations unsuited to traditional occupation.

The sites are characterised by small, walled hollows scattered amongst the boulders and linked by low-walled enclosures. They are large sites suggesting nucleated villages. The most extensive site on Chirimanyimo Hill may represent the residence of the local chief.

The enclosures were built as a double line of vertical stones, earth-filled in between. These may once have supported a hedge. The larger walled hollows probably protected livestock from the elements and are the prototype for later pit structures. They had cobbled stone floors and in one of those excavated a grave was found dug through this floor. The smaller walled hollows were probably houses, the walls supporting a low roof. These villages were built at a time of a cooler, drier climate. They would have been very cold in winter, although it is possible that the cloud base was not as low as it is today so there was probably less, persistent mist.

Reflecting on the President’s visit, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry said it is already reaping the fruits of its domestic tourism festive season campaign and expressed excitement over the limelight given to the stunning scenery and hospitality of the country’s Eastern Highlands.

The domestic tourism sub-sector is an economic enabler that can see the creation of jobs both directly and indirectly, as well as the development of infrastructure such as roads leading to those tourist sites and its growth will ultimately lead to the attainment of Vision 2030.

For the past month, Minister Rwodzi has been moving across the country’s province launching domestic tourism campaigns where she reiterated the need for locals to enjoy sampling the beauty of their country.