Rebranding to boost Masvingo tourism

MASVINGO province has embarked on a massive re-branding of tourism products to attract more visitors in line with the new political dispensation’s 100-day plan targets.

In pursuit of the new economic trajectory pronounced by President Mnangagwa, the province has come up with a steering committee that seeks to usher in a new narrative for the tourism sector.

Masvingo province’s head of the Tourism Steering Committee Dr Fredrick Kasese yesterday said tourism remained a low hanging fruit which should be used productively for the economic development of the region.

He said by virtue of being home to the Great Zimbabwe Monuments World Heritage Site and the recently commissioned 1,8 billion cubic metre Tokwe-Mukosi Dam, Masvingo had potential to be a tourism hub.

Dr Kasese, who is also Zimbabwe Tourism Authority provincial board chairman, said his committee was in the process of re-branding the province through a tourism blueprint.

“Firstly, we feel there is need to re-brand Masvingo,” he said. “It should not be business as usual if we are serious on developing our tourism and make Masvingo a safe tourist destination.” Dr Kasese said a steering committee had been put in place to spearhead the re-branding and marketing of the province locally and beyond.

He said just like the Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North, Masvingo was home to similar tourism spectacles that could make the province a prime destination for tourists in Zimbabwe.

“Our conviction as Masvingo is that there is need to market our own Great Zimbabwe Monuments, Gonarezhou National Park and the recently-commissioned Tokwe-Mukosi Dam,” he said.

Plans are at an advanced stage to identify all tourist attractions in the province and come up with community-based information centres.

Dr Kasese said Masvingo should rope in local universities on research and tourism development strategies, as well as engaging the private sector in the promotion of tourism products.

Speaking during a recent stakeholder meeting in Masvingo, ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke said his organisation had adopted a bottom-up approach on tourism development where wide consultations were key.

“Let us have all provinces competing,” he said. “I do not see any reason why the Great Zimbabwe Monuments cannot compete with Victoria Falls. It is a World Heritage site from where the name of the country originated.”