VICTORIA FALLS – Vice-President Joice Mujuru on Wednesday said she was confident Zimbabwe would successfully host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly meeting scheduled to be held in the resort town next August.Report by Richard Muponde, Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe and Zambia are co-hosting the international tourism indaba.
Addressing journalists following her tour of the conference facilities to assess the country’s level of preparedness, Mujuru, who is the head of the Cabinet Committee on the hosting of UNWTO, said she was impressed with the preparations made so far.
“We are more than ready even if they come today,” she said.
“You saw progress at the airport. We are not in a hurry to finish the new terminal as the existing terminal can cater for all the international guests. I was here three months ago (Victoria Falls Safari Lodge) and there was mud all over and now they are very ready and they have started receiving people. They are sitting at 60% occupancy and I am very happy with the progress. The hospital officials are saying that by March they will be ready. At Premier Service Medical Investments they are opening this November and all things are looking very promising.”
Briefing Mujuru during the tour, Secretary for Transport Munesu Munodawafa said the Victoria Falls runway would be operational by the time of hosting the international tourism indaba, adding there was no need to hurry completion of the new terminal as the existing terminal had the capacity to handle the anticipated huge traffic flow.
Mujuru’s visit followed that of the UNWTO inspectorate team in August when team members also expressed confidence in Zimbabwe and Zambia’s capacity to co-host the event.
Two months ago, Parliament ratified a $150 million loan agreement between Zimbabwe and the Export-Import Bank of China for the upgrading and rehabilitation of Victoria Falls Airport ahead of the UNWTO.
