Govt to broaden Zim’s tourism appeal

GOVERNMENT has embarked on a major drive to upgrade and market the country’s unknown sacred sites, including secret passages that were used during the war of liberation.

This is aimed at broadening the country’s tourism appeal, while increasing its contribution to economic development.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said the country was losing potential revenue as unknown attractions and sacred sites were not being marketed to both domestic and foreign tourists.

Minister Mupfumira was speaking on the sidelines of the Makonde Senator’s Sporting Tournament at Muchiedza Primary School in Makonde district, which she hosted.

“My ministry is currently looking at ways to popularise a lot of these areas that can generate enough revenue for the country through domestic and foreign tourism,” she said.

“Currently, a lot of places with scenic views and others bearing our historical backgrounds are lying idle.

“It is Government’s mandate through my ministry to make sure that the tourism industry helps in improving the economy and creating employment.”

This, Minister Mupfumira said, involved sprucing up and marketing all tourist attractions.

She said the country’s liberation history needed to be preserved and marketed for the benefit of locals and foreigners.

“The secret passages used by liberation war fighters should not only remain as reminders of the protracted struggle, but generate revenue for the country,” she said.

With pricing of the country’s products and destinations being a major deterrent to would-be tourists, Minister Mupfumira said plans were underway to align prices with those obtaining in the Southern African region.

“We are working with all the relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector to see how best we can be a competitive brand in tourism,” she said. “Tourists are shunning our hotels because they are a bit expensive and they opt to use Zambia and South Africa.

“With the economic hardships facing most people in our country, we need to come up with a pricing structure that does not deprive locals the opportunity to visit sites of attraction.”

Players in the tourism sector are optimistic that the new political dispensation in the country will spur the sector to new heights.

It is hoped that the tourism industry will be the first to positively react to the change and contribute to the country’s economic development.