The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga Senior Business Reporter
THE imminent visit to the country by a delegation of 50 Indian Dawoodi Bohra Muslims led by the leader Peace Ambassador His Holiness Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin is set to enhance the country’s destination image transformation programme meant to promote Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.
According to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the visit by the Muslim group not only promotes religious tourism but also enhances Government efforts to market Zimbabwe as a safe destination.
The group arrives on Ethiopian Airlines on Monday 25 May 2015.
ZTA spokesperson Mr Sugar Chagonda said the visit by His Holiness Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin and his entourage was an opportunity to promote off the trodden path of tourism by putting Chirundu on the map.
“Chirundu forms part of our Seven Wonders of the World under Kariba and the Mighty Zambezi. This will be the second visit by the Ambassador of Peace and global leader of the over one million strong Dawoodi Bohra Muslim Community having come into the country via Chirundu from Zambia in 2014,” said Mr Chagonda.
Mr Chagonda said this year the Peace Ambassador, His Holiness decided to visit Zimbabwe arriving on Ethiopian Airlines through the Harare International Airport and that this high level religious celebrity could aid the country’s cause of Destination Image Transformation Programme to position Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.
“The CAAZ has secured the use of the Foreign Affairs VVIP Lounge at the airport and has also facilitated the granting of visas for the Indian group. The Group will depart Harare for Chirundu on chartered planes and will be hosted by Chirundu Safaris,” he said.
Government in 2013 adopted a policy on religious tourism to complement other forms of tourism that have gained prominence in recent years including leisure, health and sport with statistics showing that over 300 million people worldwide visit religious sites every year and 30 percent of the world’s travelling people are motivated by faith and religion.
Last year thousands of Jehovah’s Witness parishioners descended on Harare filling in all hotels and lodges while thousands of tourists also attended the United Family International (UFIC) church’s judgement night 2 which was held at the National Sports Stadium.
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi is on record saying these forms of tourism will spur growth in a sector whose potential has largely remained untapped.
