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The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and several stakeholders have in the last few years embarked on a number of strategies to market Zimbabwe as a destination of choice to thousands of regional and international tourists.

The Government has since identified the revival of the tourism sector as a necessary step in economic recovery.

In a bid to push forward Government’s agenda of reviving the tourism sector, ZTA put together a raft of measures to market Zimbabwe locally and internationally.

The identification of popular culture as an attraction gave birth to the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant a few years ago. The tourism pageant returns this year, under the stewardship of Mrs Barbara Mzembi after a long absence on the local scene owing to a number of challenges. Gender Editor Ruth Butaumocho (RB) recently caught up with Mrs Mzembi (BM) to discuss a number of issues, including her “controversial” appointment.

RB: Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you for your appointment as the patron of the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe beauty pageant. Give us a brief background about yourself and your interest in beauty pageants, focusing on the welfare of the girl child.

BM: I was born in Havana, Cuba in a very humble family where I did all my studies as an accountant but also specialised in languages and chemistry. I worked in a very prestigious research centre for 10 years as a microbiologist.

I have been married to Dr Hon Walter Mzembi for 16 years. We have three children. After my husband was appointed the Minister of Tourism, I undertook etiquette and image courses, which I successfully completed and I have been certified.

Today, I am making a career out of the courses that I undertook for self-actualisation. I am an etiquette and image coach as well as a businesswoman in my own right.

I am a student of IMM School of Marketing. Hopefully, I will finish next year. I have put my exams for October on hold because Miss Tourism’s work has been very hectic, but I hope to finish next year.

I have no interest in beauty pageants. I don’t believe in judging a woman by parameters that she cannot control like the way her body curves are, or how short or tall she can be.

That was one of the reasons why I accepted to be the patron of Miss Tourism because we are not looking for a specific height or weight. We are looking for ambassadorial and leadership skills in a beautiful girl.

Miss Tourism has the role of marketing Zimbabwe to the world and to attract tourists to our tourism destinations.

Miss Tourism is closely connected with projects for the girl child, and it has always been like that. In 2014, Miss Carnival successfully carried a campaign against child marriages.

It is in the winners’ portfolio to carry out projects for the girl child and together with the ambassadorial work, which is the essence of Miss Tourism. Notwithstanding that, Miss Tourism itself constitutes another opportunity for the girl child. Therefore, Miss Tourism is a face to market Zimbabwe and to advocate for the girl child.

I have no passion for physical beauty, real beauty is what we have inside, which we cannot see but can feel. I have passion for helping others.

I come from a background where girls are treated as a dedicated flower. I notice that in Zimbabwe, families give priority to boys, so yes, I would like to upstage the help we can give to the girl child by donating sanitary pads so they don’t have to miss school, pay exam fees for them and also prioritise their needs.

For that I have a passion. I think that is my purpose in life. I touch lives and change them for the good.

RB: You are coming to head the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, at a time when Zimbabweans are gearing themselves for a pageant of similar magnitude, Miss Zimbabwe. How different would be Miss Tourism Zimbabwe from the latter, and what is your vision in as far as the issue of tourism is concerned?

BM: I cannot list the differences between Miss Tourism and Miss Zimbabwe, first, because I do not know much about Miss Zimbabwe apart from what every one hears. I do not know their vision or their criteria.

Secondly, I am not competing nor looking for faults in others to upstage them but to learn and try to not repeat the same mistakes. As I mentioned earlier, Miss Tourism Zimbabwe and even Miss Tourism International is not focused in height and weight, but it focuses on building friendships, talents and personalities. Miss Tourism Zimbabwe is not looking for model types or runway girls, but we are looking for an ambassador for the industry and the country at large.

Miss Tourism Zimbabwe has been under the custody of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and is not owned by an individual, nor is it in my name. Miss Tourism creates opportunities for the girl child. My vision for Miss Tourism is for it to become an institution that influences many portfolios in the tourism sector.

It will explore many dimensions, whose objective are to market Zimbabwe’s tourism destinations, and the immediate ones would be to create a reality show, to showcase the girls’ talents in several things. I cannot compare one pageant to another. There are many other pageants, and not only Miss Tourism and Miss Zimbabwe.

RB: There are also concerns that you were hand-picked to become the patron of the pageant, not necessarily because you are the right person for the job, but merely because you happen to be the Minister’s wife. What are you bringing to the table that you will ensure that this pageant achieves the desired results?

BM: Who is the right person for the job? Were patrons of other pageants not hand-picked? Did patrons of other pageants go through an interview, or audition or any test or some sort to choose the right one? Are there any qualifications or experience required for one to become a patron? I am not a public person and you only started hearing about me now because of the Miss Tourism pageant.

My appointment as the patron of the pageant was not well taken at home, and the Minister had nothing to do with it. He did not even want to hear about it. We agreed long back that one politician or public figure in the family was enough.

When ZTA offered me the patronage in 2014. I accepted on the basis of supporting my husband. I did not take any action until now. Miss Carnival was not held in 2015. I held several meetings with captains of industry who agreed to host the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe and got an appreciation of the job.

I also discussed with other people that used to run pageants to try to gain knowledge and understanding the dynamics of the industry. I am bringing my passion for the girl child to the table, trust and transparency in all transactions and decisions to be made. I do not have experience in running pageants. I bring a personality that many can relate to and I am very down to earth.

I am a woman of principle, have a good character and I am honest as a mother. I am putting my leadership skills for the good organisation of Miss Tourism on the table and my knowledge on etiquette and image that can take the participants a long way. I am also taking the trouble of looking for funding and ensuring that the money would be accounted for. This alone constitutes a lot of unpaid and unrecognised work.

The problem that we have as a nation is to look for the little black spots if any, rather than the whole light around it.

I think ZTA saw a woman that people can trust, that girls can relate to, and of course they know that I am a big supporter of my husband. If Miss Tourism can help his work, this will be my contribution to the tourism industry, as the wife of the minister of tourism and to the girl child.

RB: Pageants world over have stereotype standards that are used to measure a woman’s beauty, i.e., height, weight and age. What are the basic considerations for the aspiring contestants to the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe?

BM: As I mentioned before, the height and weight are not the only considerations we would be looking at.

We will among other things look at someone who is of good character, a holder of a Zimbabwean citizenship, single and should have a diploma or a degree in Tourism.

RB: This is not the first time that ZTA is hosting the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant. What challenges did the previous beauty pageants face and what changes are you bringing in this new dispensation?

BM: Well, I am not in a position to answer that. I was not involved in the previous beauty pageants that ZTA arranged with exception of the Miss Carnival 2014 when I was asked to be the patron, but the whole event was well organised.

RB: Do you think that you will be adequately resourced to groom tourism ambassadors who can speak knowledgeably about the tourism sector in Zimbabwe?

BM: In terms of personal deportment and grooming, we have the right people to take care of that. At the moment we are currently looking for sponsors.

For those that think that I was given a lot of money by the ministry, let me be clear, we got only the $10 000 pledge by Mr Kaseke the chief executive officer of ZTA to help us to start. So I am appealing to sponsors out there to support Miss Tourism because it is also another way of supporting the girl child.

RB: From the time ZTA launched the beauty pageant, winners had an opportunity to attend the Miss Tourism International, which has got a membership of 60 countries the world over. What were the benefits accrued from these networking forums, challenges faced and collaborations made?

BM: Remember, I have not been involved in the previous pageants, not until 2016, so I cannot talk about previous benefits, challenges or collaborations. However, the opportunity to participate in the Miss Tourism International puts Zimbabwe on the map. The interaction between our candidates of that from 60 countries will bring opportunities for Zimbabwe. The finals are broadcast live in several countries.

RB: It is a new position, very taxing and is likely to be quite challenging. How do you intend to keep your head above the water Mrs Mzembi?

BM: We have a committee made up of 12 individuals that can contribute positively to the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe pageant.

They boast of wealthy of experience from various fields and are passionate about tourism and pageants in general. I have since hired a company that will preside over cash management to ensure transparency. The fact that we have raised the requirements for all aspirants speaks volumes of the efforts we are putting to ensure that the pageant becomes a success. But of course, the issue of funds remains a challenge. We are therefore appealing to individuals, companies and other stakeholders for funding to ensure that the pageant becomes a success.