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Sikhulekelani Moyo, mskhulekelani16@gmail.com
THE number of visitors and diasporans returning to Zimbabwe has surged, with many eager to explore the country’s tourist attractions and contribute to its economic development.
This was revealed by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa during an interview yesterday at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, where he participated in a “meet and greet” initiative aimed at promoting Zimbabwe as a prime tourist destination.
The meet and greet programme, a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, seeks to provide incoming visitors with information on tourism and accommodation facilities available across the country.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said the initiative is particularly focused on encouraging diasporans to explore Zimbabwe’s rich cultural and natural heritage, thereby stimulating the economy.
“We want our visitors, especially the diasporans, to explore different tourist sites and contribute to the economic growth of our country. The main aim is to meet and greet all the tourists, and the largest group we are seeing are Zimbabweans coming back for holidays. We encourage them to visit Matopos, Nyanga, Great Zimbabwe and other iconic sites to help boost our economy,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said the programme is being rolled out at all points of entry across the country, where “Team Tourism” is actively engaging with visitors.
“We are in every point of entry across the country as ‘Team Tourism’ to tell them to visit their places of interest with their loved ones to make sure that our economy can benefit,” he said.
The deputy minister stressed the importance of their expenditure on local tourism facilities, saying it will create employment and further economic opportunities.
“We are receiving more people, and the numbers have either doubled or tripled. The queues at border posts, especially at Plumtree, are longer and visitors from neighbouring countries like Botswana and South Africa are saying they are coming to Zimbabwe for holidays,” he said.
“It’s exciting times, and the numbers of returning diasporans have also increased.”
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said from his engagements with visitors, a lot of them are also excited about the national fabric.
Among the visitors at the airport, many expressed their excitement about returning home. Ms Sandra Banda, a Zimbabwean based in India, shared her anticipation: “I can’t wait to get home and eat our traditional food.”
The positive trend in Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is expected to continue, with predictions that it will become a major economic driver. Officials project that tourism could contribute up to US$600 million in capital investments by next year. The National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy (2020-2025) launched by President Mnangagwa in 2020, aims to generate US$5 billion annually, with tourism already ranking as the third-largest contributor to the country’s GDP.
The sector saw an 83 percent increase in arrivals in the first quarter of the year, both domestic and international, bolstered by events like the African Gastronomy Conference held in Victoria Falls. — @SikhulekelaniM1
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