Zimbabwe to host UNWTO media workshop

Online Business Reporter

ZIMBABWE is set to host the United World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Communication, Media and Tourism Training in Africa workshop in Victoria Falls in November.

This further confirms Destination Zimbabwe as ideal for hosting international conferences.

The media workshop is scheduled to run from 13 November to the 15th and all members and affiliates to the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa are expected to attend.

The hosting agreement was signed at the ongoing 66th edition of the UNWTO Commission for Africa, which ends on Friday in Mauritius.

Zimbabwe is among the countries which are participating and the Secretary for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ambassador Raphael Tayerera Faranisi is leading the Zimbabwean delegation.

The meeting is held under the theme, “Rethinking Tourism for Africa: Promoting Investment and Partnerships, Addressing Global Challenges.”

The tourism sector is regarded as one of the country’s strategic sectors for economic development in Zimbabwe.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said the chief executive, Ms Winnie Muchanyuka and the Secretary General of the UNWTO Mr Zurab Pololikashvili signed a hosting agreement.

Ambassador Faranisi and the Chief Director of Tourism and Hospitality Management Ms Tarirai Musonza also witnessed the signing ceremony.

“The media have a crucial role to play in putting emerging destinations across the globe on the global tourist map, thus helping to boost the economies.

“The relationship between tourism and the media is vital and complex. Tourism is highly dependent on media reporting because the vast majority of travel decisions are made by people who have never seen the destination first hand for themselves.”

ZTA added that the tourism industry is a vast and complex ecosystem that heavily relies on effective communication to thrive.

“With the rise of social media, instant messaging apps, and digital marketing, communication has become even more critical than ever before”.