United Nations World Tourism Organisation lays foundation for pre-pandemic international tourism returns

THE United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has said investments, education, youth empowerment and sustainability are the key priority tourism sectors that it will advance this year as it angles for international tourism returns to pre-pandemic levels, capping a rapid and remarkable comeback.

Zimbabwe is a member of UNWTO. UNWTO said last year, with the support of its members, it successfully laid the foundations for all these priorities to be advanced or realised over the year ahead.

As such the global tourism body said the New Year brings new opportunities for global tourism and “2024 looks set to be the year international tourism returns to pre-pandemic levels, capping a rapid and remarkable comeback.”

“As we begin 2024, the foundations are set to not just recover but to transform tourism, with UNWTO guiding the sector towards a more innovative and inclusive future.

“The return to pre-pandemic levels is an opportunity to consolidate tourism’s contribution to a sustainable transformation, on the back of its vast economic value chain and deep social footprint,” said UNTWO.

The tourism body said this year’s World Tourism Day theme is “Tourism and Peace”.

Between January and September last year, the country’s tourism industry received over one million tourists which translates to a 52 percent growth compared to the same period in 2022, marking a positive trajectory.

While arrivals reportedly took a dip due to last year’s 23-24 August harmonised elections, the recovery was significant as the hospitality sector recorded over 50 percent occupancies.

In mid-December last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), launched the Festive Season Domestic Campaign-ZIMBHO for Bulawayo province during which the need to improve tourism infrastructure in the city came under the spotlight.

The campaign, which started on November 6 and is ending on January 15 under the theme: “Every journey leads you home,” is aimed at encouraging locals to visit the country’s tourist destinations this festive season.

Dubbed #Ungaphi, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and ZTA are encouraging locals to sample the various tourism products offered by tourism players at the different tourists’ destinations across the country.

The campaign comes at a time when the country has recorded a significant rise in foreign receipts but lagging on the domestic front.

In 2020, President Mnangagwa launched the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy anchored on Zimbabwe’s vision to be a prime international tourist destination based on the judicious and sustainable exploitation of the unique assets of nature, culture, heritage and the built environment.

The strategy is informed by the Government’s Vision 2030 to become an upper middle-income economy characterised by increased investment and decent jobs.

The high growth target of this strategy seeks to achieve a US$5 billion tourism economy.

Tourism is a key economic enabler and foreign currency earner alongside agriculture, mining and manufacturing.-chronicle