adminWalter Mswazie recently in Chiredzi
ZIMBABWE has set a target of at least three million international tourist arrivals by 2020.
The country recorded 1.9 million arrivals in 2014.
Presenting a position paper during the great Limpopo Cultural Fair (GLCF) in Chiredzi recently, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) head of planning and investment promotion, Reason Machigere, said the country had the potential to increase arrivals given its numerous tourist destinations.
He said the projected arrivals would contribute at least $3 billion to the economy.
Machigere said the tourism authority was working on a national tourism marketing strategy that would also assist in increasing the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by about 15 percent in 2020 from 1.6 in 2014.
“At the rate we’re moving, we envisage that by 2020 we’ll have at least three million visitors coming to Zimbabwe for the purpose of tourism. In fact we’ve the potential of achieving visitors beyond that figure if certain grey areas are addressed,” he said.
“In 2014 our tourism receipts were $827 million but the target for 2020 is to raise tourism revenue to at least $5 billion.”
Machigere said the country had the potential to attract more visitors and contribute to the GDP with the lowveld playing a part in the whole equation.
“Masvingo province, the lowveld included, has a great potential of attracting many visitors per year. We’ve a number of tourist attractions in this southern part of the region — the Tokwe-Mukorsi Dam, which is nearing completion, Gonarezhou National Park, Save Wildlife Conservancy, Malilangwe Conservancy Trust, Shangani Culture for cultural tourism, pristine wildlife and nature,” he said.
Machigere bemoaned the lack of capacity in terms of hotel room sizes and numbers.
“Masvingo region as a whole has approximately 200 hotels which aren’t enough to cater for many visitors. There are no five star hotel facilities although this could be compensated by provision of camping facilities. The lack of conferencing facilities that can accommodate more than 300 delegates can be solved through the use of marques,” he said.
Zimbabwe is a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of visitors from countries such as Germany, Japan, Ireland, China, the United States of America and Britain.
Online Reporter