Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says Africa must leverage on its cultural heritage as well as food to grow its tourism sector.
He said this in Victoria Falls while officially opening the inaugural United Nations Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa.
The African continent in its diversity has rich cultures stretching across the mother land and these include foods unique to certain people and places.
This Friday as Zimbabwe hosted the first regional forum which focuses on these cultural aspects to do with food and drink, delegates from Zimbabwe and beyond gathered at the official opening ceremony held in the resort city of Victoria Falls.
The hosting of this conference is hinged on the leading role of Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa who since 2019 has been in an intensive drive to promote gastronomy tourism as she has travelled to all corners of the country promoting the cookout competitions which enable participants to focus on traditional dishes.
Upon arrival at the venue, President Emmerson Mnangagwa together with other delegates including the First Ladies of Serbia and Angola and UN Tourism Secretary General were taken on a tour led by the Zimbabwean First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Their first stop was Amai’s kitchen which had various traditional Zimbabwean foods.
A number of countries namely Angola, Ghana, Botswana, Uganda, Malawi and Nigeria were showcasing their cuisines and the President passed through all their stands.
As he addressed the delegates afterwards, President Mnangagwa said the tourism sector is key to Zimbabwe’s economic growth, as it is the third largest contributor to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The tourism and hospitality industry is a critical cog to our country’s national development agenda and ongoing journey to realize an inclusive and sustainable tourism sector, which leaves no one and no place behind. Tourism is currently the third largest contributor to our country’s national GDP and one of the key economic growth factors having achieved a 34% increase in tourism arrivals last year alone,” he said.
The head of state however noted concern that despite the global tourism sector now exceeding 90 percent of its pre-COVID-19 pandemic performance levels, the African continent is putting in less than five percent of those figures.
He added, “Globally a positive trend has been witnessed with tourism growth now exceeding 90% of its pre-COVID pandemic levels. Regrettably, the African region has been contributing less than 5% of global tourism performance. As such the promotion of products such as gastronomy tourism and others like the brand Africa initiative will undoubtedly go a long way to enhance Africa as an attractive and competitive destination, worldwide.”
As he paid homage to the wisdom of the forefathers who understood the symbiotic relationship between food, well-being and the community, President Mnangagwa noted how the African culture can be utilised to give life to the tourism sector.
“Our traditional cuisines are more than mere meals but an expression of our identity. Given that people’s cuisines are a manifestation of their culture our continent’s unique cultural heritage, food and drink therefore offers immense opportunities for further expansion of the tourism sector,” said the President.
The President also spoke on the First Lady’s role in the success of this inaugural gastronomy conference.
“In the case of Zimbabwe, the gastronomy tourism has grown and remains anchored on grassroots initiatives, recently under the leadership of the First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa and her team in her capacity as the patron of the tourism sector and hospitality industry, traditional cookout competitions were rolled out in our country’s provinces. These culminated in regional cookout competitions. Key lessons learnt include that traditional gastronomy cuisine goes beyond preparing food,” he noted.
The First Lady as well as President Mnangagwa were honoured by the United Nations for their role in contributing to gastronomy tourism and were presented with plaques by the United Nations Tourism Secretary General Mr Zurab Polokashvili.
The President also received 100 scholarships for those who want to study culinary arts.
