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VP Chiwenga

Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
VICE President General Constantino Chiwenga (Retired) yesterday said Zimbabwe attracted more than 2, 4 million tourist arrivals in 2017, a 12 percent increase from the previous year which he attributed to the country’s safe and peaceful environment.

In his key note address during the launch of the National Tourism Master Plan, Community Tourism Enterprise Manual and Handbook at a hotel in Masvingo, VP Chiwenga said Zimbabwe, under the new dispensation, was poised for unparalleled growth in tourism from different international source markets.

The master plan is expected to guide the tourism sector up to 2035 amid revelations that the country has been operating without a tourism master plan since independence.

The country was only guided by the Tourism Act of 1996 and the national tourism policy of 2012.

“In 2017, the country received a total of 2 422 930 tourist arrivals which represents a 12 percent increase from the 2 167 686 tourists received in 2016,” said VP Chiwenga.

He said already this year, the country has recorded an increase in the number of tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year.

“In the first quarter of 2018, the country has already received increased arrivals with, for example, Victoria Falls registering over 17 000 arrivals from a baseline of 8 000 in air traffic arrivals at the Victoria Falls International Airport from January to April.

“This represents a 48 percent increase in arrivals compared to the same period last year. Considering that the first quarter is generally a low period, this performance raises hope that, indeed, Zimbabwe is poised for an unprecedented growth in the tourism sector riding on the prevailing goodwill and interest from the different source markets,” VP Chiwenga said.

These developments were happening on the back of a peaceful transition that ushered in a new dispensation led by President  Mnangagwa, the VP said.

He said the new dispensation has changed the image and perception of Zimbabwe from a country perceived to be at war with itself to an exceptionally safe and peaceful country.

“In this regard, I therefore commend the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and its key partners in particular the African Development Bank who funded the development of this national tourism master plan.

“I am delighted that the national tourism master plan that we are launching today provides a framework for the accelerated development of the tourism sector.

“By identifying 10 tourism development zones throughout the country, it signals new frontiers through which increased tourism growth and investments into the sector will be achieved.”

VP Chiwenga said the master plan provided direction for the preservation of the country’s rich history, culture and heritage. “Equally, the Government of Zimbabwe views tourism as one of the four economic pillars of the country among agriculture, mining and the manufacturing sector.

“As Government, we are therefore delighted to note that the tourism sector is on a rising trajectory and prospects for more growth in the future are very positive,” he said.

The VP said the country used to have more than 200 fully functional community-based tourism enterprises but is now left with less than 50 due to economic hardships that affected the country between 2000 and 2008. “In this regard, I wish to commend partners such as the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and the AFDB that joined hands with the government through the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, to resuscitate community based tourism enterprise, among them, Chesvingo Cultural village in the Great Zimbabwe monuments.”

Present at the event were the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Prisca Mupfumira, Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Senator Josaya Hungwe, heads of Government departments, schools, community leaders, among others.  — @walterbmswazie2