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The peaceful vote in the harmonised elections has paved the way for the successful hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly later this month

Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix
THE countdown to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly slated for Victoria Falls from August 24-29 has gathered momentum, with Zimbabwe having overcome the elections hurdle. When President Mugabe proclaimed election dates for this year’s harmonised elections, the world tourism family got worried to the marrow.
Western countries had sold the Zimbabwean election brand as violent and uncharacteristically disastrous but when the day came, it sent detractors of the country scampering for cover with shame and disbelief.

There had been a lot of pressure to hold elections after the UNWTO General Assembly but Zimbabweans did not disappoint. There was no violence. The elections were free and fair. There was peace.

The shift is now on the hosting of the event, the biggest ever on the world tourism calendar and the tourism and hospitality industry in Zimbabwe has a few weeks left to put final touches and make the event the most memorable.

The UNWTO General Assembly is the biggest event on the tourism family calendar and is a bi-annual gathering hosted by the 170 member countries on an equal basis, meaning Zimbabwe will not host the event again in more than 300 years, everything else being equal.

A lot of work is being done to spruce up tourist facilities in the Victoria Falls as well as amenities and other complementary services.
With the hosting comes national pride. With the hosting comes the rebranding of Zimbabwe, which for almost a decade has been portrayed as a rogue state, and unsafe tourist destination by the Western media, following a standoff with former colonial master Britain over the land issue.

The internationalisation of the bilateral disagreement by Britain saw its allies – the Unites States of America and the European Union – imposing sanctions and backing the sanctions with a regime of travel warnings and bans.

The move almost brought the tourism and hospitality industry in Zimbabwe to its knees and the hosting of the general assembly is indeed a chance to redeem and rebrand ourselves as one of the safest and most attractive tourist destinations.

In terms of natural attractiveness, the international barometer puts Zimbabwe at number 21 but in terms of tourist preferences and image, Zimbabwe is placed at number 134.

The difference between the two — that is the perception the tourist generating market has on us — is what the UNWTO hosting in meant to address. Perception!
By merely successfully hosting such a mega event, Zimbabwe will have done an excellent perception management project, given that more than 1 200 delegates, among them ministers of tourism, chief executives of tourist boards, the UNWTO tourism family and stakeholders, will have participated.

The delegates to the UNWTO General Assembly automatically become our brand ambassadors, how we handle them and the experience we give them surely determines what they will say about us.

Many Zimbabweans have asked what is there to benefit from hosting such an event.
Besides the immediate financial benefits to the service providers, the long-term benefits are for the country that will be endorsed as a safe and attractive tourist destination.

The ball, therefore, is now in our court and how we play it determines whether we win or lose. The days are moving.

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