ZTA engages stakeholders

06 Apr, 2014 - 09:04 0 Views

The Sunday News

Evangelister Kasanzu Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is engaging players in the tourism sector to come up with special promotions and deals that will attract local people to tourist sites as a way of promoting domestic tourism. ZTA said they wanted the programme to start during the Easter holidays as part of ensuring that such holidays become part of “tourism days” for local people.

ZTA chief operating officer, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi (pictured right), said they had identified holiday specials as a special way of promoting domestic tourism.

“We have encouraged and given guidance to all service providers at all resort places to adopt the strategy of increasing packages for tourists so that they utilise and increase activity in the tourism sector,” he said.

“The strategy will not only be an advantage to the tourist but it will also improve the tourism sector by creating employment for individuals and increasing revenue collected during that time. By so doing the tourism sector will also be contributing to the economy of the country,” he said.
He said the promotions could be extended to international tourists.

“These promotions will also let the people use the resources that we have in this country and the value of those resources will also be derived through tourism,” he said.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe president, Mr Tamuka Macheka, said the special promotions had helped boost tourism.
“The special promotions are an advantage to tourists because they help increase the length of stay at the resort areas and let people enjoy themselves. For example if the money they used was for two days during the Easter holidays it will be for three days,” he said.

He said the promotions also gave a chance for families to travel together.
“The special promotions are an advantage to many people because families can travel together. Moreover, the increase in packages also lets those people that have never visited our tourist attractions appreciate the nature that we have in our country,” he said.

Mr Macheka said for operators, promotions also boosted revenues.
“Most hotels during holidays like this experience an increase in cashflow because many people will be enjoying themselves through the special promotion availed to them. It is a time to expose and market tourist products that we have in our country,” he said.

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