Entertainment / Events
All set for Zim carnival
09 May 2013 at 23:47hrs | Views
All is set for the first Zimbabwe International Carnival expected to initiate and bring long term tourism benefits to the country with Miss Carnival pageants going into camp this Thursday.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Head Corporate Affairs Sugar Chagonda said 22 contestants will today (Thursday) go into camp until the 17th when finals will be held to choose the leader of the carnival procession.
He explained that the Miss Carnival event is not competing with Miss Zimbabwe pageant as it is a tradition and concept the ZTA has borrowed from all carnival hosting countries.
"We are not in competition with Miss Zimbabwe pageant, we support them fully and this event is a totally different event meant to market the country's tourism," said Chagonda.
Asked if the country might be receiving foreign tourists and international visitors to the event, Chagonda said the nation should not expect huge economic gains out of the inaugural carnival saying it might take three to five years for the event to lure tourists.
"We might not realise any economic gain from this first carnival but going forward it is possible all we are thriving to do now is to enter the reality of carnivals and later work on the logistics of how we can benefit," he added.
The Miss Carnival pageant will be held on the 17th of May and will be marked by music from musicians such as Winky D and Sindi among others.
Zimbabwe embarked on hosting a carnival taking a leaf from countries such as the Seychelles and Nigeria who are attracting a huge number of tourists into their countries from Europe, Asia and beyond, thereby benefiting from the increase in hotel occupancy and other spill over business.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Head Corporate Affairs Sugar Chagonda said 22 contestants will today (Thursday) go into camp until the 17th when finals will be held to choose the leader of the carnival procession.
He explained that the Miss Carnival event is not competing with Miss Zimbabwe pageant as it is a tradition and concept the ZTA has borrowed from all carnival hosting countries.
"We are not in competition with Miss Zimbabwe pageant, we support them fully and this event is a totally different event meant to market the country's tourism," said Chagonda.
"We might not realise any economic gain from this first carnival but going forward it is possible all we are thriving to do now is to enter the reality of carnivals and later work on the logistics of how we can benefit," he added.
The Miss Carnival pageant will be held on the 17th of May and will be marked by music from musicians such as Winky D and Sindi among others.
Zimbabwe embarked on hosting a carnival taking a leaf from countries such as the Seychelles and Nigeria who are attracting a huge number of tourists into their countries from Europe, Asia and beyond, thereby benefiting from the increase in hotel occupancy and other spill over business.
Source - zbc
