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Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
THE World Tourism Organisation (WTO) has forecasted that there will be 77,3 million international visitors to Africa by 2020 and Zimbabwe is among the five regional destinations to watch. According to the current Tourism Update magazine, other countries that possess huge potential were Zambia, Namibia, Malawi and Tanzania.
With such promising numbers, it is not surprising that investors are strategically placing themselves across the continent with the aim of growing their portfolios in order to leverage on current and future demand.
Head of property services at South African based Hotel Partners Africa David Harper said there had been renewed interest in the five countries including Zimbabwe which had previously been neglected.
“For the first time in five years, I have been approached to look at purely leisure focused tourism projects in Zimbabwe,” he said
Although Zimbabwe fell off the tourism radar in recent years, investors Harper said were slowly starting to express renewed interest in the country.
Africa Albida Tourism Ross Kennedy, chief executive officer said Zimbabwe had seen incredible tourism development with new products in Victoria Falls, eight new camps and lodges in Hwange as well as new camps in Mana pools.
“Tourism as an industry has a special investment status emphasised by the extension to a duty rebate on imports for tourism capital goods by the government. This will allow owners and investors to continue investing in their properties and products and stimulate growth and employment,” he said.
Victor Sibanda of Veneto Safaris said the sector was poised for growth adding that the government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Economic Transformation was also focusing on rebuilding the dilapidated tourism infrastructure.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) last week projected a 4,4 percent growth of the local tourism sector this year buoyed by strong demand from international markets.
In 2013, Zimbabwe’s total contribution of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $857,9 million (11,4 percent of GDP) while investment in the sector amounted to $62,3 million or 6 percent of total investment.
This year investment in the sector are expected to rise by 4,5 percent.
The country well known for its pleasant climate, the country has been experiencing increased inflows of tourists from countries such as Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Far East.
Last year the country was ranked as the second most preferred destination for family-oriented safari tourism in Africa by a London-based global market research firm, EuroMonitor International.
Online Reporter