The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda. Sports Reporter
IT’S the athletics season in all the country’s schools and nothing grips the excitement among learners and those who follow budding talent in sport.
This is a time when learners get to pull a muscle or two on the track and field, as they try to outdo one another in the quest for glory. The ultimate goal is to get hold of the gold medal, or at least rise to the podium for silver or bronze.
In that grit and grind for honours, schools competitions present opportunities that have a ripple effect on as many businesses in communities. The frequent travelling by athletes as they move from one stage of the competitions, has benefitted the tourism sector the most.
From food, accommodation and leisure activities, the local tourism sector reaps rewards. It has been identified that schools sport contributes a lot to the domestic tourism earnings. Domestic tourism, as explained by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), is when a visitor travels within their country of residence. The activities they partake in are part of domestic tourism.
In that sense, young school athletes travelling to compete from one province to the other, can be classified as local tourists, with sport boosting the tourism. Since the start of the term, the National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) and National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph), have been busy organising the athletics competitions, which are now headed for the provincial finals before the nationals.
To take a look at it from a realistic point of view, Clackson Masakwa, a senior manager with Bakers Inn in Bulawayo, on Friday announced that the Bulawayo Province’s 120 athletes for the Nash track and field championships in Victoria Falls on 19-20 March, would be taken care of by his company.
He said Bakers Inn would ensure that athletes and coaches including management will not sleep in classrooms. The hotels in the resort town will benefit as well as other service providers. This year, for the national competitions, athletes in primary schools will converge in Masvingo, while secondary schools meet in Victoria Falls.
Both destinations are top tourism attractions in the country and this means the competitions will bring brisk business in these areas. The travelling done by school teams, dovetails with what Government through its tourism marketing arm, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), has been championing.
ZTA launched the #ZimBho Vakatsha campaign that is being supported by the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) and other key stakeholders in the industry. Educational institutions have also been identified as key drivers of domestic tourism and destination promotion.
In Masvingo, the primary school pupils, their coaches and school mates will enjoy the spectacle and heritage filled environment of Masvingo Province that includes Great Zimbabwe. For the secondary school athletes, the splendour of the majestic Victoria Falls, will no doubt leave a lasting legacy, as athletes will forever cherish the moment as well.
The importance of schools in boosting local tourism earnings is echoed by service providers in hospitality, who say they have always appreciated that extra “cent” from schools. One of Matabeleland North’s renowned tourism entrepreneurs in Dete, Hwange and Binga, Wilbert Makonese, said beyond athletics competitions, school educational tours have benefitted them immensely.
“Undoubtedly, schools play a part in local tourism. Whenever there are competitions, our room occupancy increases. We appreciate the continued support over the years,” said Makonese.
For the schools, it is more of exposing learners and they fully know how their competitions leave an impactful contribution to the country’s tourism economy, according to Nash president Arthur Maphosa.
“Schools have a huge constituency that indeed supports domestic tourism. Our learners who partake in sporting activities ,travel to as many parts of the country and that is what makes our tourism tick. The young athletes who travel, become an inspiration to their peers. They share memories and pictures that will inspire others to partake in sport as they would want to experience the same,” said Maphosa who is also the president of the Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa (Cossasa).
At a time when schools are appreciated in their contribution, other stakeholders in the tourism sector feel there has to be a radical change in the pricing system in hotels and lodges.
The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) is on record, saying price increases were harming growth and the country could be prejudicing itself of thousands of potential local tourists because of exorbitant charges. An athletics teacher at a city school, Khumbulani Mhlanga, was of the view that pupils have a lot to learn from their travels.
“Pupils who do sport are the most exposed to tourism activities. They get to see as many places of interest that some in the country find hard to visit. These competitions are really beneficial to the education sector as well,” said Mhlanga.
A tourism and conservation expert Langton Masunda, told Zimpapers Sports Hub that over the years, he has witnessed that schools have often been sidelined in their contribution to domestic tourism. He applauded the organised set up in school when they travel.
“Schools from urban areas are already contributing to local tourism through organised school trips, to our tourism attraction local destinations. In our local province of Matabeleland North we are pleased to hear that the athletics national finals for secondary schools will be in Victoria Falls. Even if they come to compete, schools will surely do other activities.
We have pro-active organisations that schools can benefit from like Painted Dogs and Gwango among others offering students weekend excursions which are educational. These enhance awareness and appreciation of our wildlife to schools,” said Masunda.
