eBusiness Weekly
Kudakwashe Mhundwa
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is engaged in discussions with a number of investors keen on injecting capital into various projects across the country’s tourism sector, as the industry regulator intensifies efforts to boost arrivals this year.
ZTA is projecting a growth in tourist arrivals for the year 2019 from 2,7 million (the largest number of arrivals received in the last 19 years) received last year.
“In 2017 we recorded 2 422 930 tourist arrivals. In 2018 the industry surpassed the 2,7 million mark. The year 2019 is expected to witness serious growth in tourist arrivals and we project arrivals of more than 2,8 million. We are looking forward to 2019 being a good year for the Zimbabwean tourism sector.
“Tourism investment promotion has been a major focus in the year ended December 2018 and will be escalated in the forthcoming year. Keen interest has been shown not only by tourists but by investors as well who want to inject capital into various tourism projects and investment areas. We are excited at the business prospects and opportunities that will be brought about by these companies and individuals,” said ZTA Acting Chief Executive Officer Givemore Chidzidzi in emailed responses.
Chidzidzi was, however, not at liberty to discuss full details pertaining to investments saying the deals were still in their infancy stage.
Last year ZTA established an international re-engagement programme with the aim of marketing destination Zimbabwe to other parts of the world including Europe who had side-lined the destination over the last few years.
The programme has received positive feedback from international media organisations who include National Geographic, which has listed Zimbabwe among the 19 Nat Hab Travel Destinations, Frommer, Telegraph and Lonely Planet, a development which ZTA says will contribute immensely to boosting arrivals in 2019.
“After rave reviews about the destination by internationally acclaimed media houses and travel guides, Zimbabwe is poised for unprecedented growth in 2019.
“The response and confidence shown on the destination has given us the impetus to intensify re-engagement efforts with the international community.
“Our main target is Europe, having been voted as a must-visit destination by Lonely Planet, National Geographic, Vanity Fair and Frommer, we are certain that we will have an increase in the number of arrivals from the European region.
“However, China cannot be ruled out. The arrivals from China are on the increase and a lot of interest to visit Zimbabwe has been noted. South Africa remains a strategic market in the region and we expect it to maintain its leading position in terms of the generation of traffic.
“The planned improvements of the border facilities at Beitbridge should spur tourist traffic from our southern neighbour,” he said.
Over the years, the sector was affected by turbulent times that rocked the economy, which resulted in production input costs, especially of goods that are required to sustain operating costs of business.
This was compounded by shortage of essential commodities and other less essential commodities, but the situation has since stabilised with availability of goods drastically improving.
