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The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in partnership with the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) has proposed to place three major waterfalls under one tourism package with the aim of increasing revenue for all countries involved. The ICCF is a non-profit organisation based in Washington DC, the United States, which lobbies for global conservation management. Recently Zimbabwe formed a Parliamentary Conservation Chapter in order to promote sustainable management of environmental resources in association with the ICCF. Speaking at a press conference in the capital on Monday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi said discussions were already underway with relevant authorities to implement the initiative.

“It has always been my wish that we package the major falls of the world together and I speak here of three of them, Niagra shared by Canada and the United States, Iguazu shared by Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and lastly the Victoria Falls shared between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

“I envisage going forward, I am in conversation with the authorities of the other two, that we sell the waterfalls together as a package,” he said.

Minister Mzembi said Zimbabwe was yet to realise the full benefits of the Victoria Falls when compared to other tourist destinations abroad, noting that the Niagra Falls was a “$30 billion economy” while Victoria Falls was only at an estimated $1 billion.

He said it was “absolutely imperative” that Zimbabwe became a member of the ICCF to promote conservation efforts as well as to further connect with the United States tourism market.

“The ICCF is headquartered in the United States which is our chief source market and the passionate attachment that market attaches to the subject matter of conservation,” he said.

Referring to his candidacy for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary general post, Minister Mzembi said he felt “confident” especially after receiving numerous endorsements.

“We are now going into the phase where we are internationalising our campaign from not just being the African candidate but being Africa’s man for the global position,” he said.

Minister Mzembi also said the invitation to chair the new Corporate Council for Africa board which he received last week should be viewed as a vote of confidence in him.

ICCF vice president Susan Lylis said it was important that Africa be represented in the UNWTO as tourism played a major role in conservation.

“We feel it is very exciting that there is so much support for an African candidate for secretary general for the UNWTO.

“It is so important for Africa to be represented at the highest levels in the UNWTO and that is because biodiversity conservation is so key to economic development and tourism has to play an integral role in that and what better way to elevate that relationship and nexus than Africa’s key role in the WTO,” she said. – New Ziana.