BY Everson Mushava
Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira (pictured) is in the United Kingdom for Zimbabwe’s roadshow aimed at increasing engagement with citizens domiciled in Europe to encourage them to come and invest back in the country, particularly in the tourism sector.
The roadshow kicked off on Tuesday and ends on July 19 as part of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) strategy to involve Zimbabweans abroad to develop the country and build awareness of the country’s tourist attractions.
The roadshow will travel from London to Glasglow, Liverpool, Huntingdon, Manchester and Birmingham and will see engagements with the diaspora community, tourism associations, media and the travel trade operators.
Mupfumira leads the delegation that will also include the Zimbabwe ambassador to Britain Christian Katsande, ZTA acting chief executive officer Rita Likukuma and Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director Fulton Mangwanya as well as some industry partners.
“The main theme is to reach out to Zimbabweans and diasporas of all backgrounds, religious communities, academic, media, tourism trade, tourism organisations, tourism associations, airlines, tourist boards, embassies, conservation organisations, youths, United Kingdom government and others engaged in economic development,” Mupfumira said.
“The diasporas, together with the wider stakeholders, have a huge role to play in releasing the huge potential of the tourism sector for socio-economic benefits.”
She added: “The roadshow is an event created to facilitate an exchange of ideas and resources that spur interest, inspire collaboration and attract strategic investments in the Zimbabwe tourism sector for its sustainable growth. The roadshow events offer participants in the UK and the world an opportunity to interact on new development.”
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The roadshow comes at a time President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has been trying to attract foreign direct investment and appealing to Zimbabweans in the diaspora to come and invest back home.
Likukuma said in line with Vision 2025, National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy, ZTA is conducting the roadshows with the main objective of promoting tourism.
“Of essence to this mission is the objective of facilitating an exchange of ideas and resources that spur interest, inspire collaboration and attract strategic investments among the Zimbabwe diaspora community which, according to the UK National Statistics Office (NSO) 2018 Report, accounts for more than 123 000,” Likukuma said.
She added: “It is, however, imperative to note that during the said mission, Minister Mupfumira will officiate the opening of the new consul and tourism office in Scotland.
“The office is meant to strengthen destination promotion in the region which will subsequently impact on tourism traffic to Zimbabwe.”
Mupfumira is expected to launch the inaugural edition of the Zimthrive initiative which will see a congregation of diasporans from different source markets in April 2020.
UK being the top European market in arrivals contribution, remains Zimbabwe’s priority market.
Likukuma said ZTA will continue investing in marketing and promotion strategies in the UK market in a bid to regain the market share in the UK.
