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The ZTA and their partners the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe are expected to set up criteria for adjudication for the music producers.
Sugar Chagonda, ZTA head of corporate communications affairs, said the ZTA and the arts council were encouraging producers to come up with a musical concept to be used for promoting both the UNWTO General Assembly and the destination Zimbabwe.
“The ZTA will fully sponsor the prize money of US$30 000 and there shall be an adjudicating team set by the ZTA and the NACZ. Artistes can perform the task in duet or collaboration forms,” Chagonda said.
He said besides the prize money, the winning song will be played to a wider audience and used as an effective platform to sell the Zimbabwean brand.
“The song will promote the destination in its totality – resorts, hotels, lodges and leisure products and services – as well as brand awareness that is immediate feedback from the market,” he said.
The competition is expected to start on June 10 and it is hoped that after a week the music producers should submit their concepts and demos for adjudication.
Chagonda said the objective of the project was to use music to market not only the UNWTO General Assembly but also Zimbabwe as a tourist destination.
“We want to create destination and event awareness and encourage people to travel around the country visit the their local resorts. We also want to create a platform for competition and interest on tourism issues among music producers and artistes as well as help in promoting arts and music which are critical vestiges of tourism,” Chagonda said.
The World Tourism Organisation is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for the sustainable and universally accessible tourism. The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the organisation. Its ordinary sessions, held every two years, are attended by delegates of full and associate members as well as representatives from the Business council. It has 155 member states, seven associate members and over 400 affiliate members.
The only time the UNWTO General Assembly was held in Africa was in Dakar, Senegal, in 2005.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are co-hosting the 20th Session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly from August 24 to 29.
According to the ZTA, the coming of the General Assembly to Southern Africa, Zimbabwe in particular is a grand lifetime achievement of the current generation. For Zimbabwe, a destination that underwent vast transformation and rebranding exercises, this is a perfect opportunity for our destination brand endorsement.
The celebration through song and dance is set to go beyond the event. This initiative will be a great opportunity to reach out and increase visibility of the country’s tourism, particularly marketing domestic tourism.
Online Reporter