by Bruce Zvandasara
The Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has lined up activities building up to the World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations slated for 27 September 2018 at Elephant Hills hotel, Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe will join the world tourism family in commemorating the World Tourism Day, set aside by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation in 1980.
This year’s celebrations, which are being held under the theme “Tourism and Digital Transformation,” will see AfroSoft Holdings, a local IT solutions company announcing its partnership with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) in fostering and embracing the digital epoch in marketing Zimbabwean tourism industry.
Addressing the media, Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Permanent Secretary, Dr Thokozani Chitepo said that the WTD celebrations would enable Zimbabwe to reposition itself as the greatest tourist destination in the world.
She said that there were some lined-up activities building up to the main celebrations. She pointed out that, the African Youth in Tourism Conference in Bulawayo had already been rolled out where youths will be taken to visit tourist places in and around Bulawayo. On 24 September, the Lupane State University will host a Tourism Symposium and on 24-25 September, there will be a Joint Tourism Committee Conference in Victoria Falls where Zambian authorities, Botswana and Zimbabwean authorities will meet warming up to the d day.
Dr Chitepo said the joint committee’s main thrust is to capacitate human capital in the neighbouring countries to ensure viability of the Tourism sector.
“Government will increase its investment in domestic tourism and related human capital development so as to increase earnings from the sector. This is going to be part of the Joint Tourism Committee’s main thrust,” she said.
She called upon tourism players to work hard towards developing the sector, which she said can do better.
The tourism sector contributes 12 percent to the Gross Domestic Product and is one of the key economic drivers in the country.
“The vision is far bigger and we could be talking of billions if we do well, so let’s all play a part in developing tourism,” she added.
She said hotels were already fully booked for the auspicious event in the resort town while operators expect a bumper harvest on activities.
