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Leonard Ncube in Hwange
THE ongoing African Elephants Conference in Hwange has stimulated tourism activity in the usually quiet Dete and Mabale areas on the edge of Hwange National Park.

This is the first time for such a big conference to be hosted outside Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North province.

Even Hwange town, which is about 100km away from Hwange National Park has not hosted such a big event before.

More than 200 local and foreign delegates are attending the inaugural elephants conference that started on Monday and ends today.

It is being held at Hwange Safari Lodge, owned by African Sun Limited and dovetails well with Government’s drive to promote tourism through Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).

Liquor dealers at Cross Mabale and Dete are enjoying good business as some conference delegates drive to the centres to buy beer and other goodies.

The need to develop more international standard and affordable accommodation and conference facilities is evident as Hwange Safari Lodge is the only big hotel around Hwange National Park.

Some of the delegates are booked in Victoria Falls and have been shuttling to and from the conference venue every day. There are several private lodges but without conference facilities.

A stones throw from Hwange Safari Lodge is the Hwange National Park Airport, strategically located to provide links with tourism source markets for the giant game reserve and facilities around it.

The Government has set sights on upgrading the airport to attract direct airlines from all parts of the country and Air Zimbabwe is expected to start landing there soon, according to authorities.

The sight of people visiting the Main Camp may not be a new thing but having about 200 guests for almost a week is a milestone achievement for the tourism sector outside the traditional Victoria Falls, industry players said.

Hwange Safari Lodge general manager, Mr James Kuwanda, said the conference was a litmus test for capacity of players outside Victoria Falls.

“Having the ministry choosing to talk about elephants in the elephants’ backyard was a masterstroke.

It brought relevance to the subject,” he said.

“There has been a lot of exposure to the Hwange destination and our tourism product is on show and it can only get better in the future.

“We have proved that we can host big events here and it’s good for our tourism industry as a whole.

Guests said they loved the experience and I’m sure Hwange’s name will reach far and wide,” said Mr Kuwanda.

In his welcome remarks at the start of the meeting, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said the environment was perfect for the objectives of the occasion.

“I most welcome you to our country, our national park and the beautiful space we have been provided to think, dialogue in an environment where we can express ourselves,” he said.

“Let us remember that in all of this, is a vast array of nested interests from conservation, love of animals and nature, monetary to personal, prestige and power.”

Participants acknowledged the importance of wildlife particularly elephants to tourism.

Director of department of National Parks and Wildlife in Zambia, Ms Lusizi Mwale, said wildlife is key to tourism as she said Zimbabwe and Zambia share a lot in common including the mighty Victoria Falls.

Director for the department of Wildlife and National Parks in Botswana, Dr Kabelo Senyatso, said tourism among Kaza states is shared because animals, particularly elephants are migratory.

Speaking during a visit to Hwange recently, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Mhona said there is a need to synchronise tourism operations.

There are a few airlines using the airport and Government is working on rehabilitating its runway and terminal to attract more airlines.

“We have not been having business because we have not been advertising well.

We need to have state-of-the art infrastructure,” said Minister Mhona.

— @ncubeleon