Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
DESTINATION Zimbabwe has over the years attracted thousands if not millions of tourists across the globe because of its natural tourist attractions, including the Mighty Victoria Falls and World Heritage sites like Matopos National Park and curators have played a significant role in ensuring that the visitors enjoy the country’s tourism products.
One such individual is Phineas Chauke, a freelance curator who also serves as the Western Regional marketing officer for the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe. He is a licensed tour guide, having obtained his practicing licence in 2004.
For the past two decades, Chauke has distinguished himself as a reliable curator for tourists thereby enhancing the experiences of holiday lovers who seek to fully appreciate the country’s tourism packages. He has become an integral part of the tourism ecosystem, collaborating with the Government, travel agents, tour operators and accommodation providers to deliver a quality product for both local and foreign tourists.
While Zimbabwe is endowed with natural heritage sites and beautiful scenery, these destinations may not be fully appreciated without the input of tour guides or curators, whose role is to unpack the product on offer. Chauke said his role is to create lasting, personalised impressions for tourists.
“My role as a curator is co-creating memorable and immersive experiences with clients around both natural and cultural phenomena with the aim of mediating any physical and psychological barriers to facilitate a connection between the visitor and the phenomenon.
“My objective is to ensure that at the end of the tour the visitor has gained a deep understanding of Zimbabwean natural and cultural heritage and has a newly found respect for Zimbabwe and its people,” said Chauke.
He said his deep pride and love for Zimbabwe drives him to act as the country’s ambassador, especially when handling foreign tourists who often arrive with misconceptions about the country. Chauke noted that Zimbabwe is experiencing a growth in tourist arrivals, with travellers from the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, China, Germany, France, Finland, South Africa and Australia frequently visiting the country.
He said it is not only foreign tourists who misunderstand Zimbabwe as he also has to dispel some myths when dealing with locals.
“There are some historical misrepresentations that some people may have. For example, people have certain stories that associate Makokoba with crime resulting in people fearing to visit the suburb.
I have dealt with some tour operators who when I propose to visit Makokoba as part of township tourism they will say let us skip that one. It is only when tourists visit the suburb and interact with local people they start to understand that it is a normal community,” said Chauke.
Established in the early 1900s as the first black African township in Bulawayo to house colonial era workers, Makokoba became a centre for political activism and cultural growth. Home to prominent liberation struggle leaders, the suburb hosted rallies at Stanley Hall and Square, now national monuments. Makokoba’s role in Zimbabwe’s history extends beyond housing, playing a crucial role in the development of the country’s arts, culture and political identity.
Chauke said his work has integrated him into the tourism value chain, with both corporate entities and individuals inviting him to guide tourists through the various tourism products.
“There are people who know me who are tour operators, travel agents and accommodation providers so when a tour operator has a group of people who want to tour Bulawayo, Matopos, Nyanga, Great Zimbabwe, he or she is referred to me. I work even with the Government itself, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority,” said Chauke.
He said he has had the privilege of guiding high-profile individuals, including the country’s two Vice-Presidents, Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Cde Kembo Mohadi as well as Cabinet Ministers and diplomats. Chauke added that his work has extended into consultancy, where he crafts itineraries for groups, individuals and agencies. He also provides general advice on tourism business to both start-ups and established companies.
Mr Chauke said it is encouraging to see more Zimbabweans developing an interest in visiting the country’s tourist destinations, a big change from the past when very few locals visited such places.
“The low hanging fruits that our people need to appreciate is that the cost of accessing these attractions for Zimbabweans is very low compared to what we charge international visitors. For example, for one to access Khami Heritage Site for a Zimbabwean that will be US$4 and for foreigners it will be US$10. So there are these policies that are meant to promote domestic tourism hence these Government incentives meant to enable citizens to enjoy their country’s heritage,” he said.
Mr Chauke said places like Matopo National Park have become a magnet for local tourists due to their cultural heritage and stunning scenery. He said tour guiding is becoming an increasingly lucrative industry, with some local guides even securing jobs across the continent.
“There is a significant rise in interest among Zimbabweans to take up tour guiding as a career. The challenge over the years was lack of information about the profession and how one can go about it. However, Zimbabwe has produced some of the finest guides on the continent with some plying their trade in different countries across the continent and even overseas,” said Chauke. — @nqotshili
Online Reporter