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Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has made extraordinary strides in advertising the country as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, as it extensively works towards re-engaging the world in pursuit of its agenda for economic recovery and promoting itself as a trade and investment destination.
Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), recently exhibited at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in the Middle East, where it met with various stakeholders on an Incentive Travel proposal for Dubai civil servants to get travel packages as part of their official Government paid holidays. The expo ran from 28 April to 1 May. ZTA acting chief executive Mrs Rita Likukuma said participation at the ATM was meant to build confidence in the Zimbabwe market.
“The Arabian market gives us an opportunity to rebuild the confidence in destination Zimbabwe and establishing strategic partnership with leading tourism operators promoting packages to Southern Africa and the continent at large,” she said.
Mrs Likukuma added that the expanded Victoria Falls International Airport and Bulawayo’s Joshua Mqabuko International Airport have also opened more access to international source markets, as most airlines flying into Zimbabwe enjoy worldwide connectivity with the Dubai International Airport.
ZTA head of corporate affairs Mr Godfrey Koti said the expo provided a platform for Zimbabwe to increase destination awareness to key tourism stakeholders, while also inviting international buyers and media houses.
“In an effort to increase market presence and visibility in this huge market, Zimbabwe last year appointed VFS Global as its market representative for the Middle East. In 2018 Zimbabwe received 7 798 tourist arrivals, as compared to 7 537 arrivals recorded in 2017 from the Arabian market.
“It is therefore anticipated that active market presence in the Middle East will increase destination awareness,” said Mr Koti.
“Destination Zimbabwe remains set on diversifying its tourism offering, with a greater effort in recent years to refocus its energy on domestic tourism, cultural offerings and quality accommodation — all aimed at attracting more tourist arrivals.”
He said Zimbabwe also held an engagement meeting with the CEMS Conference and Exhibition Company.
“The meeting focused on possible partnership strategies on the promotion of MICE Tourism. As you may already know ZTA recently launched an aggressive drive on corporate Incentive Travel at the recently ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair,” said Mr Koti.
ATM is the most established and successful outbound and regional travel trade exhibition in the Middle East. The annual tourism business platform hosts up to 39 000 travel professionals from the region and the world source markets at large every year.
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