weeks away, has somewhat subdued talk on the UNWTO event but as Zimbabweans we should not lose sight of the significance and immense benefits accruing from hosting the general assembly.

Slated for August 24-29, Zimbabwe will co-host it with it’s northern neighbour Zambia.
Certainly, the impending elections have stolen the limelight on any programme and the election campaigns that have begun in earnest will occupy acres of space and the airwaves in both the public and private print and electronic media.

Contestants in the elections are seized with winning people’s hearts and will understandably not have much time for other issues. The general populace is obviously in an election frenzy and may not give much attention presently to most issues.

Almost everything now is being put in abeyance “until after the elections”. Even my son’s request for a new bicycle will be considered after elections.
The UNWTO meeting is thus in some danger of failing to assume its actual proportions until after July 31. The good thing though is that those directly involved in preparations for the event are busy at work and significant progress has been noted.

The rest of the country will catch on once elections are done.
This country has never been found wanting when it comes to successfully hosting major international or regional events hence it is almost a given that we will not disappoint at all. In fact, we are in the habit of surprising even ourselves.

However, we have just been wondering if stakeholders in the tourism industry and the generality of Zimbabweans in particular, fully comprehend the significance of this event? Has enough information been availed to enable people to understand the UNWTO itself and what the meeting is about?

Are service providers in the entire hospitality sector aware of the quality of service that the general assembly places on them? The airline, immigration officials, tour operators, transfer desks, taxi drivers, car hires, hotels, tour guides and the rest of the chain will need to be at their best to give the visitors the Zimbabwean experience that they will remember for years to come.

Training workshops and seminars will be in order in the run-up to the event so that we do not take anything for granted. I must, however, hasten to add that efforts by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority to conscientise the country so far have not been in vain but much more needs to be done.

Hospitality for Zimbabweans is something that comes naturally. Visitors to this country concur that the warmth of the people always make them feel at home. It’s a God-given attribute that we should capitalise on to lure more visitors.

The Victoria Falls town, particularly, needs to be at its best. This resort town hosts tourists on a daily basis and is, therefore, alert to the kind of service expected of them. However, the town council, ZTA and all stakeholders will need to go out of their way to ensure the town is geared to host the big event.

Even the animals that roam the streets in Victoria Falls should be at their best behaviour while the majestic Victoria Falls is expected to afford the visitors its best waterfall.
Our being chosen to co-host the event is a vote of confidence in our ability to host an event of such magnitude. It also tells a story of how the country is viewed by the UNWTO and the international community at large in terms of its tourism offerings and the peace and stability that reigns in this country.

The negative reports and the not so cordial relations with the West have certainly not tainted the country to the extent that our detractors have always imagined. Zimbabwe remains an attractive destination and its appeal saw votes coming our way to co-host the meeting.

This is an event that will naturally elevate the country’s profile while putting Zimbabwe in the limelight as a tourist destination. The fact that the next possible chance to host this event again will be in 360 years’ time should in itself be indicative of how important, phenomenal and life-transforming it is for Zimbabwe.

We appreciate efforts by such firms as Econet Wireless which has made a commitment to invest in communication equipment and infrastructure for the event, turning the resort town of Victoria Falls into a cyber city.

This is a massive development that will certainly boost Zimbabwe’s status. Already the mobile phone operator has installed 15 base stations in Victoria Falls to boost communication.

Progress made on the refurbishment of the Victoria Falls effort is also quite impressive. We anticipate that by August all will be set for the UNWTO General Assembly.
Any potential glitches should be nipped in the bud and we sincerely hope someone is checking progress on a daily basis.

When 178 tourism ministers and hundreds of tourism wholesalers converge here, it can only mean serious business. Zimbabwe should harness all there is to gain from hosting this event.

If we put up a good show we will certainly be guaranteed of more visitors and more investment in tourism and other sectors of the economy.
Increased activity will mean more earnings and the generation of jobs, factors that are critical for the economy to go to the next level.

Tourism is a major contributor to global economic growth and has been identified as one of the major pillars of growth even in this country.
From a macro-perspective, travel and tourism alone contributed US$6, 6 trillion to global Gross Domestic Product last year, and is predicted to be worth US$10,5 trillion by 2023, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

This is really the best time for Zimbabwe to make use of its immense tourism resources and show the world what the country is made of.

In God I trust

My email: [email protected].

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