Zim steps up marketing efforts in UK:
THE Government has stepped up marketing efforts in the United Kingdom (UK) as a way to regain the tourism market in that country, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Since the ushering in of a new administration, Zimbabwe has been taking positive steps in mending relations with the international community.
Through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), the country is participating at the Experience Africa Travel Trade Show in London, the UK, from Monday to Wednesday.
The show is also a business to business event matching suppliers to buyers across Africa and the UK.
Local tourism players at the event include adventure activity company Shearwater and Africa Albida both from Victoria Falls, the Rainbow Tourism Group, Amalinda Camp in Bulawayo as well as Legacy Hotels and Resorts.
“Our participation at Experience Africa comes barely after three months after I began my re-engagement tour to the UK and other critical traditional markets,” Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said in a statement yesterday.
“This is a sure sign that we are serious about the UK market and we will continue on this kind of drive to regain the lost market share.”
ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said the UK was a traditional market that contributed immensely to international arrivals in Zimbabwe before 1999.
“We cannot afford to ignore the UK market as I have always said because it is a very important market to us. In 1999 we received a whopping 189 436 arrivals from the UK and Ireland but these figures took a nosedive since 2000 as we began receiving less than 20 000 arrivals from the same market,” he said.
“The figures have been encouraging this far as we witnessed an encouraging 127 percent increase from 32 475 arrivals in 2016 to 73 552 arrivals in 2017.”
Experience Africa is a fast growing prestigious platform for travel exchange across Africa.
“We are also a sponsor of this London edition and are proud to be recognised as such as it gives us prime recognition and an active player in the UK market,” Kaseke added.
Experience Africa Organiser Byron Shirto said, “I am Zimbabwe born and have my heart in Zimbabwe so naturally I am very excited to see Zimbabwe come in a big way as they have done and be part of this next big thing in B2B platform in the UK as we firmly believe that face to face interaction is still the best way to do business,” he said. — New Ziana.