The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
PROTESTS and other demonstrations were portraying the country in a negative way and hitting hard on efforts to grow the tourism industry, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Addressing Bulawayo School of Hospitality (Schoto) students during a public lecture at the institution on Friday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Dr Walter Mzembi said tourism cannot package conflict and no one visits a destination with conflict.
Dr Mzembi said the protests and stay aways that rocked the country a few weeks ago attracted negative publicity from both local and international media saying such scenarios affected the sector’s efforts to grow it to become a $5 billion industry by 2020 vision.
“In as much as we are working towards a $5 billion tourism economy, there are situations like the numerous roadblocks and protests that weigh down the tourism brand. Demonstrations affect tourism as no tourist goes to a destination known for insecurity and instability,” said Dr Mzembi.
He said if citizens wanted to engage the Government on certain issues it was important not to do so in an unruly way as it would be to the country’s own detriment.
Dr Mzembi urged Zimbabweans to follow proper channels if the country is to succeed as a tourism economy.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke echoed Dr Mzembi’s sentiments saying the $5 billion visitors by 2020 was a well thought out and intended vision by the minister but other sectors were not doing enough for the country to meet the target.
Mr Kaseke said during the protests which saw people burning tyres and engaging in acts of violence, embassies issued out travel warnings to their countries against visiting Zimbabwe.
“If we want to be a tourism nation, we have to do what other nations are doing and not work against our own livelihoods.
Protests and stay aways are not good for the tourism industry. Tourism is meant to be a people business and not Government to Government but embassies issued out travel warnings and told people to visit Zimbabwe at their own risk, we do not need that,” said Mr Kaseke.
He also bemoaned lack of funding by the Government to the ZTA which is responsible for marketing the destination saying the authority cannot drive campaigns without money.
“The South African (tourism) authority in 2014 received about $130 million while Zambia last year got $33 million towards marketing activities while ZTA only got $470 000, that is the level of dilemma that we are facing,” said Mr Kaseke.
