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Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix
It is undisputed! History has been made. Detractors have been sent scampering for cover with shame and disbelief. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation has declared the 20th session of its general assembly hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia in the resort town of Victoria Falls as the best ever in its history backdating to 1975.

Two years ago, when Zimbabwe posted its bid to host the General Assembly, with Zambia, at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain, no one gave us a chance. The odds were so much against us. We were battling perception issues. We were fighting to shrug off travel warnings and travel bans imposed on our country.

Our tourism brand, “Zimbabwe Africa’s Paradise”, had been soiled and it needed a lot of cleaning up.
No washing powder would have cleaned our name. Could the world trust us with hosting such a mega event?

Could the world entrust us with hosting an event after such an image? Sooner rather than later, Zimbabwe activated its systems with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry taking centre stage. Zimbabwe deployed representatives who went on a door-to-door campaign of embassies in Madrid, which paid off.

Meanwhile, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi had somehow found his way into the executive council of the UNWTO, and was using his influence to leverage Zimbabwe’s bid.

Eventually, in the city of Guengju, South Korea, Zimbabwe and Zambia shrugged off challenges from rich nations such as Jordan, Qatar and Russia and won the bid.

It was one of the best days in September 2011. Immediately, the usual detractors of Zimbabwe started trying to make up cases against our winning bid.

The UNWTO was under attack for allowing “rogue” Zimbabwe to win the bid. The UNWTO was under pressure to rescind its decision.
But it stood firm. Secretary-General Taleb Rifai remained steadfast and resolute. His executive council stood by him.

The detractors then waited to see if Zimbabwe would fail to play its part. They said Zimbabwe did not have the money, the infrastructure and the manpower.

Today, the UNWTO is vindicated. The 20th session of the UNWTO General Assembly has been the best attended ever and the best ever in the history of the UNWTO since it became an official UN organ in 1975.

The co-hosting with Zambia has opened the minds of the delegates. They cherished and loved every moment.
It was a typical African event. Everything was smooth. There were no disturbances, as expected.

There was just a bomb scare in the minds of the British, a silly dream. There was just a danger in visiting the Vic Falls in the minds of the Americans, yet another silly dream.

Let dreams be dreams but the reality is that Zimbabwe has proved to the world that it is not a rogue state.
It is undisputed that the delegates will forever cherish the memories of their experience in Zimbabwe and not a Zimbabwe told from the Western capitals.

They saw and experienced Zimbabwe for themselves. They saw the Victoria Falls and experienced it.
They have become our brand ambassadors. They will tell our story. Our real story! They came, they experienced and they have their own perception of us. Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe!

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