By Derick Tsimba
Zimbabwe conducted a tourism investment road show and met the United Kingdom Department for International Trade and Investment as part of efforts to lure UK investors under the auspices of the Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra.
There are many investment opportunities in Zimbabwe’s tourism sector which UK investors can take advantage as part of efforts to restore London and Harare’s trade partnership of yesteryear.
The tourism and investment road show conducted this month in Britain by Zimbabwe has the potential to promote the country’s tourism sector growth through re-engagement with trade partners, increased tourism investment and increased tourism arrivals into the country from the UK.
Zimbabwe has been isolated in the past from its trade partners for close to 30 years, a situation which only lasted until November 2017 when there was a change of Government. Since then, the New Dispensation under the Second Republic declared that Zimbabwe is open for business, redirecting the country from its isolation to have a good relationship with the global community.
Since the re-engagement efforts by the Second Republic, the country has seen a lot of new and quite a number of revived interests as trading partners. The Second Republic has opened up a lot of new opportunities in the tourism sectors for investors and tourism players.
During the investment road show in UK, Minister of Environment Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Prisca Mupfumira had some time to meet with the UK Department for International Trade and Investment to open avenues of trade with the country.
There it was confirmed that traditionally the British have been Zimbabwe’s key allies for trade, tourism, heath, education amongst other necessities. During the preceding years before 2017 when the New Dispensation came aboard as the New Governance it was this period when there was misunderstanding between the two countries and also during that point in time when all things fell apart.
The coming in of the New Dispensation has brought with it a lot of progress intended for the country to come back into the fold, coming back into the global arena and the British as the key partner.
Reasons why Zimbabwe should be prioritised once again by the UK as a trading partner remain that the country has vast advantages over other Southern African countries and has been seconded for best tourism destination.
Zimbabwe is centrally located in Southern Africa making it a get way to other Southern African countries. It has a strong human capital base, has a highest literacy rate in Africa and allows investment dividends to be fully remitted.
The country was voted the best tourism destination in 2018 by key travel agencies. Zimbabwe was also voted a must visit by the National Geographic and was also voted a must visit Zimbabwe on the British cool list. The most interesting aspect of Zimbabwe remains its people, culture, wildlife and scenery. The country is also blessed with the majestic Victoria Falls which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, The Great Zimbabwe, The Mystique of the Eastern Highlands as well as The Mystical Kariba and The Mighty Zambezi River.
