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Southern Africa (Retosa) for not doing anything meaningful to support Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.
In an interview over the weekend here, Mr Kaseke said the regional body had done nothing tangible for Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
“We are working within Retosa, we support them but we are not happy with their performance,” said Mr Kaseke.
He added that since he joined the country’s tourism authority, he had not seen anything that was done for the country by Retosa.
“Zimbabwe is lambasted in the media and what is worse is that some member states even speak negatively about Zimbabwe that is why I don’t attend their workshops – right now there is one going on but you will not find me there,” said Mr Kaseke.
Retosa is a Sadc body responsible for the development of tourism through marketing and promotion of sustainable regional tourism in Sadc member countries.
The organisation aims to work closely with member states, institutions and societies to ascertain their interests and priorities to help identify potential counterparts and promote tourism growth and development by marketing the region as multi-faceted but single destination.
Meanwhile Retosa member states have been urged to work together and not against each other in the promotion of tourism in the region.
Retosa is having its Inaugural Destination Marketing Conference here whose theme is “Creating an Enabling Environment for Tourism Growth and Development in Southern Africa.”
The grouping’s board chairperson and Zimbabwe’s permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Sylvester Maunganidze, said the region’s tourism economy had the greatest potential to contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and ultimately, reduce poverty in the Sadc region.
“The Sadc region constitutes approximately 2 percent of the global share of the tourism market in terms of tourism arrivals and 1,6 percent in terms of receipts, suggesting that the region has to explore more aggressive and innovative ways of improving this performance.
“Our success will, however, depend on team effort of dedicated professionals and the entire network of knowledgeable gurus in the sector whose advice we will gladly take,” said Dr Maunganidze.
He said this dedication and determination would reflect the hope shared most by all communities adding that Southern Africa constantly pushed the boundaries of its tourism landscape to deliver unrivalled experiences.
“You will also agree that we have emerged from an extraordinary year, 2010, which was the Fifa 2010 World Cup, successfully and confidently hosted by South Africa on behalf of the region and continent. To me this was a revolutionary and impressive effort,” said Dr Maunganidze.
It proved, noted Dr Maunganidze, that the region was conveniently positioned to compete with its global peers in regional destination marketing.
“From a tourism perspective, the impact of the 2010 Fifa World Cup on the region was inspirational and immeasurable.
“It has set a new precedent in tourism and the ultimate test for all of us gathered here, both public and private sector is to defend and sustain this record,
The experience was unparalleled by any mega sport and tourism event ever hosted on the African soil. I’m sure the September 2011 All Africa games in Mozambique will take a leaf from South Africa’s organisational activity,” said Dr Maunganidze.
He said while it was true that tourism in Southern Africa would continue to flourish in spite of the downturn seen around the world between 2008 and 2010, it was equally important that the region continuously managed and sustained the growth.
“Retosa’s triumph in bringing us together today, truly exemplifies our continued effort to harmonise our resources, policies and strategies in order to effectively market ourselves as a single brand, one regional destination,” said Dr Maunganidze.
Online Reporter