THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) says it will develop the recently launched township tourism concept as it has great potential to boost the sector.
Report by Business Reporter
The concept, launched last Saturday at the former residence of President Robert Mugabe in Highfield, Harare, is aimed at promoting historical and cultural tourism.
ZTA chief executive Karikoga Kaseke said going forward, the new concept would be promoted as the country had a lot to tell in the form of its history.
“That is the way to go. We have no option; we need to develop the product. It’s something we have to do. It’s better late than never,” Kaseke said.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela’s house in Soweto is one of the world’s famous tourist attractions on the continent.
Kaseke described the four day Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel and Tourism Africa Fair that ended last Sunday as a success as it attracted a huge number of exhibitors.
“The success of Sanganai is normally judged by the number of exhibitors it attracts, in that respect it was a success,” he said. At least 1 200 exhibitors – up from 746 last year, took part at this year’s expo.
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International exhibitors came from across Africa, the Middle East, United States of America, Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Addressing delegates at the Sanganai/Hlanganani cocktail, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, in a speech read on her behalf by Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, said the increase of foreign exhibitors had placed the exposition on a higher level in the tourism industry.
“I am reliably informed that this year’s exhibition has witnessed a 26% increase in size and that the total number of exhibition stands rose from 206 in 2011 to 257 in 2012.
The number of foreign exhibitors also increased from 24 in 2011 to 85 this year. This is very encouraging indeed and places Sanganai firmly on its position as one of the top three travel shows on the continent,” Mujuru said.
