The Sunday News
Caroline Mutsawu, Sunday News Reporter
ZIMBABWE on Tuesday received the first organised tour group from the People’s Republic of China since the opening of the tourism sector after the two-year hiatus due the Covid-19 pandemic.
The group of 22 tourists landed at the Victoria Falls International Airport and were welcomed by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
“It is indeed a great honour for me to witness the arrival of this special group of visitors to Zimbabwe – the first organised tour group from the People’s Republic of China, after the Covid-19 pandemic,” said ZTA chief operating officer, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi.
Mr Givemore Chidzidzi
He said tourism was by far the most affected economic sector, as global arrivals plummeted from 1.465 billion in 2019 to an all-time low of 406.89 million in 2020. Global tourism receipts dropped from US$1.467 trillion in 2019 to US$549.8 billion in 2020.
Zimbabwe as a destination was not spared from the negative effects of the pandemic, witnessing a decline in visitor arrivals from 2.29 million in 2019 to 639 thousand in 2020 and receipts declining from US$1.25 billion in 2019 to only US$360 million in 2020.
“Towards the end of year 2022, Zimbabwe deployed the Tourism Attaché to China and its works has begun to bear testimony to the importance attached to the tourism market.
“The engagement and reengagement efforts by the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, under the able leadership of His Excellency, President E D Mnangagwa, has seen the country’s renewed tourism activity in China,” said Mr Chidzidzi.
ZTA said working together with the local tourism industry, has stepped up marketing efforts in China and this includes participation at China’s leading travel show, China International Travel Mart which is scheduled for later this year as well as the hosting of trade and media familiarisation tours.
ZTA is planning on hosting more than 20 buyers from China at the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo to be held in October this year, in a bid to equip the Chinese travel trade with the destination knowledge and contacts to effectively package and sell destination Zimbabwe
