Vusumuzi Dube
Simba Jemwa, Sunday News Reporter
ZIMBABWE Tourism Authority (ZTA) Chief Executive Officer, Ms Winnie Muchanyuka is confident numbers at next year’s edition of the Sanganai-Hlanganani World Tourism Expo exhibitors will further improve.
Having surpassed this year’s set target of 250 exhibitors by 20, Ms Muchanyuka said in an interview yesterday that ZTA was looking forward to a bigger and better expo next year with more exhibitors, buyers and international media houses expected to participate.
“We had very commendable numbers of exhibitors at this year’s event, but we believe next year we want it to be a bigger and better Sanganai-Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. The potential is limitless but requires all of us to play our little part in promoting Destination Zimbabwe, supporting Zim Bho and becoming innovative in our promotion of destination Zimbabwe,” she told Sunday News.
“I especially urge non-traditional business who however, support tourism in one or the other to consider exhibiting at such expos. The Sanganai-Hlanganani World Tourism Expo is not just about tourism but also about all other auxiliary services that make tourism what it is,” she said.
Ms Muchanyuka called on institutions such as banks, insurance companies, finance houses, transport companies, manufacturers and public institutions to all consider participating in the tourism showpiece.
“There is no reason why banks, insurance companies, finance houses, transport companies, manufacturers and public institutions do not come and participate at this event. All these institutions support tourism which operates effectively if all these sectors are available. So, it only makes sense that they come and network with us whenever we have such exhibitions,” Ms Muchanyuka said.
The ZTA has been working frantically to promote Destination Zimbabwe in the post Covid-19 era during which tourism is recovering after a devastating two years during which no travel was permitted in or out of any country. Domestic tourism took over to become the biggest revenue stream for the tourism sector.
Tourist Arrivals in 2022 are expected to reach 340 000 by the end this year but is still expected to contribute 7% towards the GDP.
“During the Covid-19 lockdown era we began to aggressively promote domestic tourism but cross border travel was restricted. Now that there have been changes in these laws, we have been working to reignite interest in destination Zimbabwe. Tourism in Zimbabwe survived because of domestic tourism, and now with the easing of lockdown measures and the opening of the sector are we looking forward to a growth in the industry,” said Ms Muchanyuka.
ZTA is actively engaging Central Government through its parent Ministry, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Services to work towards the repair and sometimes construction of new roads to service tourism destinations like Binga which is generally unreachable especially during the rainy season.
“Through our parent Ministry, we are engaging Government to assist in the construction and repair of road infrastructure so that tourist destinations like Binga become accessible. There is a lot of revenue that is being lost because access to these places is difficult due to poor road network,’ she said.
The ZTA supremo said growth in the industry is expected but also noted that travel in some countries like China is still restricted and buyers from that country did not make it to this year’s expo. @RealSimbaJemwa
Online Reporter