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Routes Africa is a forum where airlines, aviation, tourism and government representatives from the continent meet to explore opportunities to develop the aviation industry.
The Zimbabwean delegation that is here attending the 8th Routes Africa at the lakeside resort of Speke in Kampala is brimming with confidence that it will host the event in Victoria Falls sometime in July next year.
The team comprising representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Air Zimbabwe, National Handling Services and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry yesterday met with the Routes Secretariat here to polish up the logistics ahead of today’s official announcement.
Event organisers here have set the ball rolling towards Zimbabwe hosting the event after they printed banners that cite Zimbabwe as the host of next year’s event.
This comes at a time the country is making aggressive strides to make Zimbabwe a leading tourism destination.
Head of the Zimbabwean delegation, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, who is Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development secretary said all was set for Zimbabwe to be handed the torch for next year’s extravaganza.
“We believe we are one of the two countries that are still in the running to be given the priviledge of hosting Routes Africa 2014,” said Mr Munodawafa.
“We have just had our final meeting with the Routes Secretariat team and they are now making their final consultations with Manchester which is their base. The announcement will be made tomorrow (today).
“We are confident that the bid we have put is very good. The (Routes) team has come to Zimbabwe over the past few months to do their due diligence. We have taken them to Victoria Falls, the proposed venue of Routes Africa.”
ZTA chief executive officer, Mr Karikoga Kaseke said hosting the event would see the country derive major economic benefits.
“Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) in terms of our tourism contributes more than 50 percent of our tourism sector.
“I am very, very, very hopeful, no doubt, that Zimbabwe is going to win. It’s going to be good for Zimbabwe tourism, it’s going to be good for our aviation because that is where the aviation sector is going to converge and strategise for aviation in Africa,” said Mr Kaseke.
CAAZ general manager, Mr David Chaota said Routes Africa was an important forum for aviation authorities to explore ways of interconnecting the continent for tourism and trade.
“We are here on two issues. First to do the marketing so that we are able to attract
“Secondly, we are bidding to host this forum because bidding itself comes with its own advantages because you are able to sell your country as a tourism destination and airlines can also discover destinations that they may have not put on their agenda.
“Anyone who has hosted this forum has had an improvement in connectivity as a destination for airlines. In the same manner, we are hoping that we will be able to market Zimbabwe by hosting that forum and also build our image. So we are hopeful that we will win and if we do manage to host we are going to demonstrate that Zimbabwe is the place to be,” said Mr Chaota.
Zimbabwe is today expected to host a networking lunch, after which, the host for next year’s forum will be announced.
Dendera king, Suluman Chimbetu and his band who arrived last night are expected to perform during the networking lunch to be hosted by Zimbabwe and the official announcement of Routes Africa 2014 host.
Meanwhile, a number of topics for the three-day workshop that is ending today sought to explore among other things understanding the market opportunities, driving tourism in Africa and the development of airports in the continent.
During the discussion sessions delegates said there was need for the tourism industry and the aviation sector to embrace the media as a means of promoting their activities.
Professor Wolfgang Thome who is a Tourism and Aviation Consultant said there was need for African airlines to get into partnerships.
“You need to embrace the media. There is often belief that the media are hostile. We need to take that sting out and make them our allies. Social media is also an important tool.
“There is also need for partnerships. You need to market yourselves. The world can only know how good African tourism is when you market it,” he said.
Air Uganda chief executive officer, Mr Cornwell Muleya said there was need for African tourism and aviation authorities to have a paradigm shift from an inferiority complex.
“There is a perception that anything foreign is better than local. We have to educate ourselves to value what we produce and what we supply, he said.
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