‘Mpofu best transport minister in years’ Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive Officer Karikoga Kaseke
Karikoga Kaseke

Karikoga Kaseke

THE Sanganai/Hlanganani Travel Expo began on Wednesday amid disturbing information that some buyers had cancelled their trips because of the threat of Ebola. Our Senior Features Writer Fortious Nhambura (FN) spoke to Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke (KK) on the impact of Ebola, the ongoing Expo and developments in the tourism sector, among other things.

FN: How has Ebola affected the tourism sector in general and the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel Expo?
KK: Ebola is a topical issue even in the media. More than 30 buyers who had been confirmed to come to Sanganayi have withdrawn actually citing Ebola. They have cancelled their confirmations and meetings with our exhibitors. This is a sad situation. This is what happens if we are not careful on what we write and broadcast. Like what the Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services said the international media can only take what we as the local media have been writing about and internationalise it. It is quite unfortunate that we have now lost 30 buyers because of sensational reporting on Ebola which is not even in the region. There is no Ebola in Zimbabwe. Research indicates that ever since the Ebola outbreak on the continent and the sensational reports started close to US$6 million has been lost in terms of cancellation of bookings. It is sad when we are losing so much as a nation.

FN: In your opinion what needs to be done to remove this culture of unfounded gossip in the country?
KK: We have been talking, we have been engaging the Ministry and senior editors in the media but it has not worked in the way we expected as an authority. It remains a grey area for us. We are not saying the media should not report on Ebola, no, no. What is happening in the world of Ebola is news; people should report on Ebola but must be factual especially when it comes to this part of Africa where no single case of the disease has been reported. Those in the media should know how best they can handle the issue of Ebola.

FN: Coming to the ongoing Expo, how could you rate this year’s edition of the Sanganai Expo?
KK: There has been a marked difference at the current exhibition.

We have said Sanganai should be purely a business exchange. I have been talking with exhibitors, some say they have met 30, some close to 40 buyers and the lowest number of buyers that have been met by our exhibitors is 15.

That is what we want, to make the expo a real business transaction. We really want to carry the Sanganai Expo in this direction. We hope it will be Africa’s premier business exchange. I think we are getting there.

FN: Are perception management programmes helping in addressing the way the world views Zimbabwe.
KK: Yes, but perception in our source markets varies, in other markets it is totally distorted and some markets there are no such distortions. Perception depends on the market we are approaching.

Some markets are beginning to respond to what we want them to know but other we still have a problem. Don’t be lied to perceptions are still there they are still hanging. They still look at Zimbabwe as a destination with a lot of problems and where tourists cannot enjoy themselves. This is what we have been fighting against. We want these markets to know that Zimbabwe is far from what they think.

FN: Critics say most of the tourism projects and businesses in Zimbabwe are localised and lack a regional focus? What is your comment?
KK: If we look at what has been happening in industry you will see that some of our big players are doing well in the region. Cresta Hospitality is actually in Botswana but started in Zimbabwe. Cresta Botswana is actually three times bigger than Cresta Zimbabwe. Africa Sun is in a number of countries true to its name Africa Sun. If you look at Rainbow Tourism Zimbabwe, they have good hotels is Mozambique. These are actually doing well in the region but you can’t think of expanding outside the country before you are really grounded in Zimbabwe. These are the most grounded hospitality groups and have moved into the regions. I don’t know what those analysts are saying when they say we are not looking into the region. We are focusing into the region though with limitations. Resources dictate the pace at which you want to expand. Zimbabwe has indeed looked at the region and those who have established business outside our borders are doing well.

FN: Do you subscribe to regional marketing in tourism? What efforts are in place to ensure that Sadc puts together a tourism marketing programme combining attraction in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola, South Africa etc?
KK: We gain more by co-operating than competing. I have been talking to my colleagues from Namibia, Zambia and Botswana that co-operation is the only thing that can give us good returns in terms of tourism marketing. With Zambia we have agreed that this time around we must go to the China International Travel Mart (CITM) as one, so that we go for our road-shows as one and we put a stand as one destination because after all we are one region.

FN: How have the problems at the national airline affected the development of tourism in Zimbabwe?
KK: It has affected big time. Where you don’t have a viable national airline you tend to think that you don’t need other carriers because your own national carrier is not doing well. That is a wrong assumption and I want to say that there is really a breath of fresh air in the aviation industry. The current Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Dr Obert Mpofu is the best thing that has happened to the aviation history since the time of Minister SK Moyo. He understands the role of the aviation industry in the development of the nation.

This is the type of minister we have been crying for in the industry. If you look at the countries with a vibrant national carrier like South Africa you will see that tourism is doing well. Because South African Airways is very strong, it does not refuse other airlines an opportunity to fly into that country. Look at how many airlines are flying into South Africa. Any airline worth mentioning flies into South Africa.

A strong national airline works as a magnate to other airlines.

A national airline is good for the country but it must not be protected. Government must make sure that they put serious management at Air Zimbabwe and as a shareholder ensure that they equip the airline.

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