News / National
Ailing Air Zimbabwe needs urgent attention - minister
09 Feb 2012 at 07:50hrs | Views
TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi says Government should sort out the financial mess in Air Zimbabwe ahead of the United Nations World Organisation General Assembly to be held in Victoria Falls next year. Minister Mzembi was speaking on Tuesday after Cabinet approved the country's co-hosting of the global tourism event with Zambia. The UNWTO assembly is scheduled to start on August 26 next year.
Zimbabwe and Zambia won the right to co-host the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Victoria Falls and Livingstone during the last convention held in South Korea last year.
With Zimbabwe seeking to maximise the benefits from the hosting the premier tourism convention, Engineer Mzembi said Airzim should operate efficiently for swift domestic connectivity.
Most analysts say the open skies policy has allowed better-managed and efficient airlines to service international routes into Zimbabwe, but there is concern over connectivity on domestic routes which is said to be still lagging behind.
Minister Mzembi contends the country's tourism will only blossom as far as the country and its domestic destinations are accessible. He feared the country might fail to derive the most out of the UNWTO assembly because of limited connectivity to Victoria Falls. Connectivity to the resort town is currently better from Livingstone compared with Harare, he said.
"Tourism makes sense when people can land (in time at the intended destinations). Tourists must be able to connect within the country as they do internationally.
"If tourists don't arrive, there is no tourism. If visitors don't spend, there is no tourism. If they don't stay long, there is no tourism.
"We need connectivity to Victoria Falls in the shortest period. Visitors must be able to get to Vic Falls in just under an hour."
Zimbabwe is angling to draw significant mileage from the spotlight that will fall on the country when it co-hosts the UNWTO assembly.
About 186 UNWTO countries are expected to attend the convention. Both the UNWTO and United Nations secretaries-general, Mr Taleb Rifai and Mr Ban Ki-moon are tipped to attend the event.
If properly organised, the tourism general assembly could be used as the perfect platform to rebrand Zimbabwe's image in the eyes of the Western world and to showcase numerous opportunities the country possesses as a fast emerging market.
Already, Zimbabwe is among top 10 African countries on the shopping list of foreign investors seeking opportunities on the continent.
Zimbabwe and Zambia won the right to co-host the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Victoria Falls and Livingstone during the last convention held in South Korea last year.
With Zimbabwe seeking to maximise the benefits from the hosting the premier tourism convention, Engineer Mzembi said Airzim should operate efficiently for swift domestic connectivity.
Most analysts say the open skies policy has allowed better-managed and efficient airlines to service international routes into Zimbabwe, but there is concern over connectivity on domestic routes which is said to be still lagging behind.
Minister Mzembi contends the country's tourism will only blossom as far as the country and its domestic destinations are accessible. He feared the country might fail to derive the most out of the UNWTO assembly because of limited connectivity to Victoria Falls. Connectivity to the resort town is currently better from Livingstone compared with Harare, he said.
"Tourism makes sense when people can land (in time at the intended destinations). Tourists must be able to connect within the country as they do internationally.
"If tourists don't arrive, there is no tourism. If visitors don't spend, there is no tourism. If they don't stay long, there is no tourism.
"We need connectivity to Victoria Falls in the shortest period. Visitors must be able to get to Vic Falls in just under an hour."
Zimbabwe is angling to draw significant mileage from the spotlight that will fall on the country when it co-hosts the UNWTO assembly.
About 186 UNWTO countries are expected to attend the convention. Both the UNWTO and United Nations secretaries-general, Mr Taleb Rifai and Mr Ban Ki-moon are tipped to attend the event.
If properly organised, the tourism general assembly could be used as the perfect platform to rebrand Zimbabwe's image in the eyes of the Western world and to showcase numerous opportunities the country possesses as a fast emerging market.
Already, Zimbabwe is among top 10 African countries on the shopping list of foreign investors seeking opportunities on the continent.
Source - TC
