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Sharon Munjenjema, Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT is courting United Kingdom based conservation organisation – the Giant’s Club – to publicise the country’s tourism destinations in Europe as part of efforts to woo visitors.
This comes as the Second Republic is making major strides in revitalising Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.
In an interview with our Harare Bureau on the side-lines of the official opening of the Skyline and Skywalk at Mutarazi Falls in Nyanga, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said Zimbabwe should tell its story to the outside world.
She said the Giant’s Club executive director, Mr Oliver Poole, is in the country to prepare for the Wildlife Summit to be held in Victoria Falls and that presents an opportunity for the country to engage him.
“Mr Oliver Poole arrived with a team to go and do some technical pre-inspections at Victoria Falls in preparation for the Wildlife Summit which will bring ministers from all over Africa to discuss issues to do with wildlife. They believe we have not adequately spoken about the good things happening in Zimbabwe.
“So he (Mr Poole) is here to visit and have some interviews with the leadership, including the President; talking about Zimbabwe and they want the media in the United Kingdom to understand the good that has been happening in Zimbabwe, in the Second Republic,” she said.
The Giant’s Club is an organisation that works with African governments to boost economic returns through tourism and has strong ties with the UK media. Patron of the Giant’s Club, Mr Evgeny Lebedev, is also the owner of UK’s Evening Standard and independent newspapers.
“We have been very lucky and we are honoured to be invited by the Zimbabwean Government to work with them to assist in attracting the right kind of investment into Zimbabwe’s conservation. We want investments that not only help to protect the parks and wildlife, but investments that also create jobs and money for the local communities as well as bring foreign exchange and better tax returns for Zimbabwe,” said Mr Poole.
Online Reporter