Efficiency at Beitbridge Border Post hailed
Story by Providence Maraneli
TRAVELLERS and tourists have praised the modernised Beitbridge Border Post as an epitome of efficiency, with the busiest port of entry now clearing more than 20 000 travellers per day.
In this modern world, a visit or any adventure to any scenic and tourist place would not be considered as such without some snapshots and selfies.
And in that world people are enticed by what they see and how they are welcomed.
A sight of travellers jostling to take pictures with words engraved ‘WELCOME TO ZIMBABWE’ in the background spells the excitement and enthusiasm by people crossing into Zimbabwe for the festive season.
The efficiency and the architectural designs at the newly modernised border has put the icing on the travellers’ cake.
“it’s my first time in so many years coming back and I am really stunned by how our border looks now,” said one of the visitors.
Another added, “It did not take us time to be cleared.”
“We are so humbled by the way we have been welcomed,” said a tourist.
Another added, “Zim Bhoooo.”
The modernised Beitbridge Border Post is now clearing at least 24 000 travellers per day since the start of the festive season, with cargo also increasing from the normal 500 to around 900 per day.
ZIMR’s regional manager, Lonto Ndlovu said, “We are so proud of this new border, there is efficiency. We are collecting more than 13 billion a day and this is due to the improved efficiency.”
“Since the beginning of the festive season, there has been an increase in traffic and travellers. As of yesterday, we cleared about 24 000 travellers,” said the Immigration regional manager, Canisia Magaya.
“We ought to come up with one of the efficient border posts in Africa. We have done that, when we started we used to clear say 400 trucks, but now we are at 900. We are looking up to going to 1 000 and we are convinced that we are going to be the efficient border post,” said Zimborders Consortium general manager, Nqobile Ncube.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Honourable Barbra Rwodzi who was in Beitbridge this Sunday to welcome travellers and visitors into Zimbabwe, reiterated government’s stance on efficiency to promote domestic tourism.
“We are so excited that people are seeing the positive in the Second Republic. This border has brought in efficiency and travellers have told me that they are convinced that the Second Republic is all about efficiency. We as the ministry we are the face of the country and we need to give people hope. I am so happy with what I have seen here and this is the President’s vision,” she said.
The Second Republic is on a massive drive to transform the tourism sector, with the tourism ministry coming up with various campaigns such as Zim Bhoo, Uripi/Ungaphi and Meet Me in Zimbabwe, among others, to promote domestic tourism.
