Derick Tsimba

Efforts to lure Chinese tourists to Zimbabwe tourist resorts should soon start to pay off as close to 100 Zimbabwean tourism stakeholders attended the China Ready Certification program in Harare yesterday.

The training program is designed to assist Zimbabwe destination and service providers to be ready for Chinese visitors.

Speaking yesterday in Harare at the China Ready Certification program Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Prisca Mupfumira said there was need for Zimbabwe to market itself more in China.

“I am happy that the China Ready Certification training has taken off well, there is not enough marketing of Zimbabwe in China as a tourism destination. China is a recognized powerful global source market and Zimbabwe has to strongly tap into this strategic market.

“One can only ignore China at their own peril as China is a global power whose outbound travel is estimated to reach 200 million by 2020 as reported by United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Zimbabwe has made inroads to promote its visibility in China. The country is going to open a tourism office in Shanghai. A Zimbabwe tourism documentary is already being aired in China,” said the Minister.

Deputy Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Zimbabwe Mr. Zhao Baogang said Zimbabwe was receiving a low turnout of Chinese tourists despite China recording 162 million out bound tourists annually.

“Zimbabwe is experiencing a low turnout of Chinese tourist arrivals despite China recording 162 million outbound travel only 19 000 visited Zimbabwe. There is need to open a Zimbabwe tourism office in China to market Zimbabwe tourism destinations. The media plays a pivotal role in the development of tourism and it should portray positive news on Zimbabwe and spread the news world over,” he said.

One of the attendees, Sphilisiwe Ngwenya Director of Bulawayo based Ngamo Safaris said she and her five member team had learnt a lot on how to host Chinese tourists during the China Ready Certification program.

“During the China Ready Certification training program we have learnt a lot of things that can be taken for granted when dealing with Chinese clients. From this workshop we are now seeing things differently. We are now seeing some light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the Chinese market,” she said.

Harare Post has learnt the primary focus of the China Ready Certification training was to impart knowledge to Zimbabwean tourism players on how they can attract Chinese outbound travellers particularly with the background of China now being the world’s highest tourism spenders.