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Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo

Bianca Mlilo Chronicle Reporter
TOURISM earnings in Bulawayo can flourish beyond expectation if its tourist attractions are utilised to their full potential. The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs for Bulawayo, Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo, said this at a welcome reception for the ninth edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo 2016 on Thursday.

“I strongly believe that tourism in Bulawayo can thrive if we exploit cultural and heritage tourism to its full potential,” she said. “When tourists come to Bulawayo they’re taken on tours where they can engage in activities such as pottery making, winnowing, pounding, milking, and preparing local traditional meals and basket making.”

Minister Moyo said Bulawayo had earned its position as the country’s historical and cultural capital. The city has tourist attractions such as the Natural History Museum and National Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. The Khami National Monuments and Matobo Hills are situated just outside the city.

“One of the major attractions in Zimbabwe, the Matobo Hills are found 35 kilometres south of Bulawayo. The mystic hills of weathered balancing granite rocks have gained the UNESCO World Heritage status and are spread with thickets of vegetation that are an attraction to everyone who visits the area,” said Minister Moyo.

She said Matobo was named by King Mzilikazi, the founder of the Ndebele state, and the term means “bald heads”. The Mzilikazi Arts and Crafts Centre offers a wide selection of skilfully crafted sculptures, basketry, pottery, beadwork and woodwork all made by the locals.

Umguza Nature Reserve and Chipangali Wildlife Sanctuary are also located in the vicinity of the city. Makokoba Township is the place to go for visitors who want a feel of township tourism.

“In Matobo one can also go tracking for the black and white rhino for which the Matobo National Park is well known. All efforts are being made to keep preserving the rhino one of the Big Five and classified as endangered species.

“Other early white settlers like Leander Starr Jameson and most of the members of the notorious Shangani Patrol are buried in these hills at another site named World’s View,” she said. The grave of Cecil John Rhodes, she said must be kept intact because of its attractiveness to international tourists who come in large numbers to see it.