By Rungano Dzikira

Local tourism players yesterday exhaled a huge sigh of relief as Government lifted a ban on tourism activities across the board, following months of complete shutdown owing to the COVID 19 global pandemic.

The resumption of tourism activities come on the back of sustained efforts by Government to restart the economy following the partial relaxation of lockdown restrictions in other sectors.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said that this move was commendable as the sector was now on its knees.

“We are excited about this development, and the tourism activities will be conducted in accordance with the existing COVID 19 safety regulations to ensure the safety of tourists.

“September is tourism month and the UNWTO will lead this year’s celebrations under the theme, ‘Tourism and Rural development’. We are more than ready to start on promoting our rich history, culture and heritage,” read their tweet.

Tourism is the hardest hit sector globally, with revenues reported to have fallen drastically since lockdown, a situation that left local players pleading with Government for permission to reopen in order to meet their mandate.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) president, Clive Chinwada also echoed similar sentiments in his appreciation for this move.

“Any measures towards the return to normalcy are welcome. The industry is on its knees and requires all interventions to get things working again.”

Re-opening of tourism activities comes on the back of a measured control experiment with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) which resumed tourism activities across all parks and recreational facilities under its auspices since 7 July.