President launches ZC, ZTA partnership
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday launched the Visit Zimbabwe Promotion partnership between the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC).
ZTA and ZC entered into a three-year partnership that will see cricket national teams from junior to senior level wearing regalia branded “Visit Zimbabwe, A World of Wonders” on the sleeve.
The deal is reportedly valued at around US$870 000 per year and will also see ZTA advertising during televised matches through perimeter banners.
Launching the partnership at State House yesterday, President Mnangagwa said the campaign will see a warm invitation being extended to the world to visit Zimbabwe.
“. . . Today’s event is therefore informed by that strategic goal binding on the partnership between Zimbabwe National Cricket Team and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
“The Visit Zimbabwe Promotion campaign will see a warm invitation being extended to the world to visit Zimbabwe. Growth of tourism has been anchored on an innovative and aggressive marketing strategy. The synergy we are siting today is most welcome and leverages on Zimbabwe’s membership with the International Cricket Council.
“Hence, this campaign is being launched by head of the ICC T20 World Cup and will see our cricket national team wherever possible donning branded regalia prescribed visit Zimbabwe, the world of wonders.
“The advertising opportunities will thus be unveiled during the forthcoming tour of Pakistan and other international games by our national team,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President said the sporting sector had an important role to play in helping attain the country’s vision 2030.
“The sector has an important role to play in the attainment of our national vison of 2030 as it is one of the four pillars underpinning growth for our economy alongside sectors like agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
“The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on our tourism sector. However, we are determined to resuscitate the sector to surpass our previous tourist arrivals revenues within the shortest course of time.
“My government continues to adapt new strategies markets and promote international tourism among our source markets. You may recall that on the 6th of August this year, I unveiled national tour-ism recovery and growth strategy towards a US$5b tourism sector by 2025. The strategy is anchored on Zimbabwe’s vision to be a premier international tourist destination based,” said President Mnangagwa.
ZTA spokesperson Godfrey Koti said the partnership will go a long way in promoting the country’s tourism destinations.
“We have seen the importance sport; we have seen value in each other and we have identified the potential that comes with this partnership.
“This will reach out to different people including none sporting publics and we have seen such initia-tives being done before globally.
“Sport transcends borders, religion and political grounds and through cricket, we have is clean sport, a clean brand which also has the people we want in terms of the countries like England, New Zealand and Australia,” said Koti.
He said they intend to enter into more partnerships with other sporting disciplines.
“We want to do more for our tourism and possibly with the Premier Soccer League, Rugby and Tennis. The good thing is we have Honourable Kirsty Coventry as the minister who understands the importance of sport in such issues,” he said.