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Regional and international airlines, which suspended flights into Zimbabwe more than 10 years ago, have bounced back with the latest being KLM Royal Dutch and LAM of Mozambique.
In an interview, ZTA head of public relations and corporate communications Mr Sugar Chagonda said the reintroduction of regional and international flights would improve destination access.
“From a tourism perspective, we are very happy that regional and international airlines are bouncing back into the country.
The issue of destination access will improve quite significantly and this will result in boosting tourist arrivals into the country,” he said.
Due to negative publicity the country has received over the years, tourist arrivals statistics went down drastically over the past decade from 2,1 million at its peak in 1999.
Mr Chagonda said the resumption of flights would also widen the scope of penetrating source markets.
“It is quite good that KLM airline has been relaunched as this will add value to our efforts to boost the country’s tourism industry. As the airline flies into Zimbabwe, people from the Netherlands will certainly come into the country,” he said.
He said the reintroduction of foreign airlines would also go a long way in ensuring that Zimbabwe and Zambia successfully co-hosted the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly next year in August.
Asked about how the liberalisatiion of skies by Government will affect Air Zimbabwe viability, Mr Chagonda said: “Not in any way the foreign airlines will threaten the viability of Air Zimbabwe, but the airlines will complement Air Zimbabwe. Over the past years, Air Zimbabwe has not been in existence so why should there be need to protect it? Instead, Air Zimbabwe should be equipped in order to survive competition.”
In the 1990s, Zimbabwe had more than 40 airlines that flew into the country.
However, due to the negative reports the country received over the years, foreign airlines withdrew their flights into the country.
Of late, the Government adopted an open skies policy that has seen regional and international airlines reintroducing their flights into Zimbabwe.
South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Air Botswana, Ethiopian Airways, BA Comair, Airlink, TAAG already service the Harare routes.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development Munesushe Munodawafa could not be reached for comment.
Online Reporter