Story by Aifheli Mudau
THE Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is conducting nationwide stakeholder engagements as it develops a national tourism strategy aimed at boosting the sector’s growth and competitiveness.
The consultations are expected to help Zimbabwe sustain and improve its performance as it consolidates its position as a leading tourism destination.
Beitbridge Municipality Public Relations Officer, Mr Raniel Ndou, said the engagements had highlighted opportunities to maximise the economic benefits of the large number of tourists entering the country through the border town.
“More than 70 percent of tourists who visit Zimbabwe come through the Beitbridge Border Post. Through this stakeholder engagement meeting, I have learnt that we should take advantage of this opportunity and ensure that these tourists spend more time in the border town,” he said.
Tourism operator Mrs Vanessa Bristow said the consultations were equipping industry players with knowledge to unlock greater opportunities within the sector.
“We are learning a lot because the issues being raised by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry are critical to the growth of the tourism sector, including our own businesses. Many of us have taken a narrow approach to our operations, which has prevented us from realising the full potential of tourism,” she said.
The government says stakeholder participation is key to developing a tourism strategy that responds to the needs of the industry and strengthens Zimbabwe’s competitiveness.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mr Takaruza Munyanyiwa, said consultations with tourism players are essential as the country transitions from the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to NDS2.
“As we develop our national strategy, it is important to consult tourism players because they will drive its implementation. We are gathering input on how the tourism sector should transition from NDS1 to NDS2 so that Zimbabwe becomes more competitive. This will also promote the diversification of our tourism products as a country,” he said.
The stakeholder engagements come at a time when Zimbabwe continues to receive international recognition as one of the world’s leading travel destinations, reinforcing efforts to grow the tourism sector and increase its contribution to the national economy.
