The Sunday News
From Roberta Katunga in Victoria Falls
THE infrastructural development in the resort town of Victoria Falls is set to benefit the whole region including Botswana through tourist spill-overs, an official has said.Speaking at a commemorative dinner to kick-start Botswana’s 50 years of independence celebrations held in Victoria Falls on Friday, Botswana Ambassador to Zimbabwe Kenny Kapinga said the two countries share a strong tourism connection with close ties between Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and the Chobe-Kasane area in Botswana.
Ambassador Kapinga said holding the third and final cultural exchange celebration in Victoria Falls was symbolic to Botswana.
“The expansion of the airport in Victoria Falls will also benefit us because it will result in greater numbers of tourists and bigger aircrafts thus the big number of tourists will likely spill over into our country. At the moment we have embarked on an expansion project of the Kasane Airport to accommodate bigger aircraft,” said Ambassador Kapinga.
He said although Botswana’s milestone 50 years of independence will be formally marked in September 2016, their government had instructed them to start building up towards the main celebrations.
“We cannot thus celebrate and exclude our neighbours otherwise it will not be complete as our two countries share cordial relations. Botswana has recorded continuous economic growth which has translated into an improvement in education, infrastructure and subsequently a better life for our citizens. This has enabled our people to visit other destinations like Zimbabwe,” he said.
He commended the Victoria Falls local authority for maintaining a pristine and clean environment that tourists enjoy. He urged people of the two countries to interact in order to build closer relations.
Ambassador Kapinga said his intention was to ensure that relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana grow stronger.
Speaking on the uni-visa system, he said his country was considering adopting the strategy that will allow free movement of tourists between countries in the region although this will be done at a certain time.
The first leg of the Botswana celebrations was done in Harare followed by another in Bulawayo at the Large City Hall.
Meanwhile, in a separate interview, African Sun corporate sales manager Ms Michelle Hinrichsen said it is time for the world to embrace Zimbabwe as a destination of choice and change the negative perceptions previously held.
The South African based Ms Hinrichsen said they have been getting positive feedback from international clients and urged tourism stakeholders in Zimbabwe to maintain the momentum by further marketing the destination.
Ms Hinrichsen was in the country on a familiarisation tour and visited various attractions.
“Zimbabwe has a big draw card, that is one of the world’s natural wonders — the Victoria Falls and its key selling point are the people who go above and beyond to make one feel welcome in their country.
There are lovely hotels especially in Victoria Falls and there is big potential,” she said.
She said the airport project that is expected to be completed in September this year will improve tourism.
“Most of the clients have bemoaned the expense of getting here because there are few aircrafts that fly in but once the airport is complete there will be more aircrafts competing and fares will drop making the destination more accessible,” Ms Hinrichsen said.
