admin
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is set to penetrate the Spanish markets as the drive to market Destination Zimbabwe continues to gain momentum.
A delegation led by Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa will attend the 44th Feria Internacional del Turismo (FITUR) to be held in Madrid, Spain, from January 24 to 28, where they will project Zimbabwe as a destination of choice and its abundant investment opportunities.
The FITUR is the third world largest tourism exhibition after the World Travel Market London and the International Travel Bourse in Germany, and brings together ministers responsible for tourism, captains of the tourism and hospitality industry, international buyers and consumers from across the globe.
Speaking at a Press briefing held in Harare yesterday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi said the delegation travelling to Spain would include ministry and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority officials as well as a contingent of six tourism operators exhibiting at the Zimbabwean stand.
The minister said Zimbabwe’s participation at the fair would be an opportunity for the country to participate in global Tourism Policy dialogue at the onset of 2024 and to conduct bilateral meetings with the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), to seek support on our tourism projects.
“For this foreign mission, the Ministry will have the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with the UNWTO secretary general, Mr Zurab Pololikashvili and discuss areas of mutual interest between Zimbabwe and UNWTO.
“The Ministry will also use the same opportunity to meet international organisations and media to project Zimbabwe as a destination of choice and abundant investment opportunities,” she said.
The companies that will exhibit in Spain include African Bush Camps, Amalinda Safari Collection, African Energy Group, Palm Hospitality Group, Rainbow Tourism Group and Rhino Safari Camp.
Spain remains one of the leading sources of tourists from Europe to Zimbabwe. The country is among the top ten overseas source markets in terms of arrivals into Zimbabwe and contributes 7,5 percent of all arrivals from Europe. It is the fifth largest contributor of arrivals from Europe after the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Benelux and the Nordic countries and with great potential to contribute more tourists as access to the destination improves.
“Zimbabwe is determined to invest in the Spanish market which has great potential to increase revenue from visitations to Zimbabwe. In line with this, Zimbabwe has appointed a tourism attaché who is based in France to further destination presence and promotion within the Spanish and Portuguese markets,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said the country also received Spanish agents that come for educational tours every year with the last one bringing 14 agents to Sanganai/ Hlanganani Expo.
“Of note, one of our industry players, African Energy Group, is a new kid on the block who was actually born out of Sanganai where a Spanish agent partnered with a local to form a travel company,” she added.
In the post-pandemic period, arrivals from the Spanish market have demonstrated signs of recovery, registering a positive trajectory growth of 390 percent from 2 015 arrivals in 2021 to 9 870 arrivals in 2022.
For the period January to September 2023, the country received 10 159 Spanish tourists compared to 7 937 tourists in 2022, demonstrating a 28 percent increase.
Online Reporter