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Prosper Ndlovu in Dubai, UAE

INTERNATIONAL tourists have expressed readiness to visit Zimbabwe again following the lifting of the Covid-19 induced travel bans, which resulted in loss of business for the local leisure and travel industry since the outbreak of the pandemic in December 2019.

Zimbabwe has also relaxed its international travel protocols but maintained higher Covi-19 surveillance to ensure adequate public safety.

As part of efforts to stimulate international travel, the country will be hosting an international tourism conference here between March 5 and 6, to showcase its tourism products and encourage visitors to come to Zimbabwe.

Travel and tourism contributed 4,1 percent to Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product in 2020, which represented over US$620 million.

Compared to 2019, the contribution of travel and tourism to the economy of Zimbabwe experienced a significant drop due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking in separate interviews at the Zimbabwe Pavilion at the on-going Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the visitors described Zimbabwe as an exciting destination of choice with a rich cultural heritage and hospitable people.

The foreign visitors said they were keen to visit the country, either for the first time in their lives or on revisit trips, lured by a range of attractions in the country.

Mr Krzysztof Woloszyn from Poland said although he had never been to Zimbabwe before, the country was a known international tourism destination.

He said he was impressed by the displays exhibited by Zimbabwe, especially the wall of photos of Zimbabwean icons and the famous Victoria Falls bridge, flora and fauna, among others.

“I like Zimbabwe because I like the braai and food. I also like your weather and climate and friendly people,” he said.

“Zimbabwe is a very lovely country for me but it’s difficult to travel for now because of the pandemic. But my next trip will be to Namibia and Zimbabwe and my dream is to get there.”

Mr Neil Gomez from Philippines said Expo Dubai has exposed him to the attractive tourism packages that Zimbabwe offers and he was now eager to visit the country.

“I haven’t been to Zimbabwe in real life and it’s my first time to visit this pavilion and it’s very informative and a very nice place,” he said.

“What caught my attention most is basically the products and actually I like the animals and hope I can visit the parks. I can see it’s really good and wish to actually go there.”

Another visitor who identified himself as Mr Remy from France, said he has been to Zimbabwe many times and was eager to visit again.

He said Zimbabwe and Botswana were his favourite countries in the world as he has many friends there.

“I love visiting Zimbabwe and I hope tourism will come back stronger. I love your country and we have organised many trips with friends and it has always been a wonderful experience,” said Mr Remy.

“I love the lakes, the animals of course and your people more importantly are so nice and very warm and special. This is one of your strongest assets.

“What I am seeing here is a good mix of everything  you have to show about your country and what you want to expose to the world.

“I am pleased to hear that you now have more international flights in Zimbabwe and I am sure this will make the country more known.”

Ms Bhavithran Jegan and Ms Keerthana Rakesh, both from India, said they were excited by exhibit presentations at the Zimbabwe Pavilion, especially the artistic and cultural heritage artefacts, which reflect the rich history of the country.

“I have been to Victoria Falls and have enjoyed the experience there. I liked the digital screen showcasing the water falls and it’s quite attractive,” said Ms Jegan.

Miss Aileen Angela Augustine from the Philippines also said Zimbabwe had a rich cultural heritage, which was a unique attraction for global travellers.

“I would like to visit Zimbabwe someday to just see the culture and experience. I have not been there but I want to go,” she said.

Mrs Richardson, who toured the country’s pavilion with her American family and are based in Saudi Arabia, said they have never been to Zimbabwe but were excited by the country’s exhibits.