Sanganai/Hlanganani ready to roar . . . as Zim celebrates Tourism Month
ALL is set for the 17th Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, which is oversubscribed, with regional and foreign investors from eight countries having registered to participate.
United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) dedicatedSeptember 27, as the World Tourism Day. Zimbabwe in return declared September the Tourism Month andSanganai/Hlanganani expo is part of a host of activities lined up including a tourism symposium, sports tournament.
The theme for this year’s World Tourism Day is “Tourism and Peace”.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbra Rwodzi accompanied by her deputy Tongai Mnangagwa, said the Sanganai/Hlanganani expo would be held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair from September 12 to 14. Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo 2024 would host three conferences and organisers looked forward to having a bigger expo with elaborate sustainable tourism initiatives and a gastronomy tourism showcase.
“The conferences will bring together industry leaders, experts, and professionals from around the world to engage in insightful discussions, share innovative ideas, and explore the latest trends in the tourism industry,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi said regional and foreign investors from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, the Embassy of Iran, Angola and Nigeria had so far registered and would bring operators from their countries.
“South Africa and Botswana have indicated that they will bring 10 operators each. Namibia will bring six operators.”
The official opening and awards ceremony would be held on September 13 while the guest of honour would be announced in due course.
There are 21 categories of winners, with each category having 3 winners: 2nd runner-up, 1st runner-up and the overall winner.
Minister Rwodzi said activities at the Sanganai World Tourism Expo included speed networking that offered a dynamic platform for industry professionals to connect efficiently and effectively.
There would be networking events including buyers and media cocktails, an exclusive event designed to foster networking and collaboration between industry buyers and media professionals.
With September being the tourism month, Minister Rwodzi said the opening event would be the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo followed by the Tourism Symposium at Lupane State University on 19 September.
She said the other events to be held in Gokwe are a sports tournament on September 21 and World Tourism Day main celebrations on September 27, a date set aside by United Nations Tourism.
This day was set aside by the United Nations Tourism, formerly known as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, to foster awareness amongst the international community on the importance of tourism economically, socially, culturally and environmentally.
Minister Rwodzi said the main celebrations would be hosted by provinces in rotation and this year the Midlands was the host of 2024 World Tourism Day.
“By targeting different provinces each year, the ministry aims to fulfil the national vision of leaving no place and no one behind and ensure equitable distribution of tourism resources and benefits.”
Zimbabwe had targeted US$5 billion tourism revenue by next year, hence the setting of September as the tourism month to raise awareness of the importance of tourism by organising several activities that built up to the main World Tourism Day celebrations.
Minister Rwodzi said the tourism month celebrations were coming against the background of renewed global tourism recovery with Zimbabwe also experiencing significant growth over 2023-2024.
“The first half of the year saw the country’s tourism sector demonstrating significant growth, with international arrivals increasing by 27 percent to 751 483, up from 592 567 in the same period in 2023.
“Correspondingly, tourism receipts saw a 24 percent rise, reaching US$493 million compared to US$398 million in the first half of 2023,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi said the sector continued to be a vital contributor to Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for approximately 5,7 percent of GDP and 3, 5 percent of national employment, underscoring its pivotal role in driving economic development and job creation.
“The ongoing investment into the tourism sector coupled with improvement in the enabling infrastructure including airports and road network improvement is bound to spur Zimbabwe in achieving the US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025,” she said.
