Zimpapers Logo

THE Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is targeting 2,5 million tourist arrivals by the end of year.

This, it said, would be achieved through the implementation of a number of projects aimed at encouraging tourists to visit Zimbabwe.

The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Engineer Walter Mzembi said the target would be achieved if the whole country works together to advertise Zimbabwe as the best tourist destination in Africa.

“We’re hoping that we can cross the 2, 5 million mark in terms of arrivals and progress within the context of the $5 billion economic paper to $1,5 million in terms of revenue.

“This will be spearheaded by the National Tourism Master Plan which will be assisting in measuring and monitoring ways which promote the inflows of tourists,” he said.

During the first quarter of 2015, a total of 390,000 tourists visited Zimbabwe.

“The refurbishment of the Victoria Falls Airport will also assist in increasing the number of arrivals in the country.

“By 2017 we will be around three million arrivals if we work hard as we’re doing now taking Victoria Falls into consideration that’s why we build it to land arrivals and to see them out so it will be a game changer,” he said.

Mzembi added that his Ministry is discussing with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to accept the rand in the tourism sector by scratching the 15 percent value added tax for foreign accommodation since the number of tourists from Namibia and South Africa were decreasing.

Presently, the ministry of tourism is implementing a number of projects which include the construction of Tourism Special Economic Zones and the implementation of Tourism Master Plan aimed at increasing tourist arrivals in the country. —BH24.