At least 8 airlines will ferry UNWTO guests

AT LEAST eight airlines would be available to ferry guests during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly slated for August.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi told diplomats and representatives from various countries in Harare yesterday that the airlines would improve air traffic accessibility during the summit.

The airlines include EgyptAir, KLM, Emirates, Air Mozambique, Air Tanzania, South African Airways, Kenyan Airways and Ethiopian Airlines.

"The renewed air flight services and yet-to-be-concluded ones will make Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, or Zambia more accessible. Zimbabwe will have a total room capacity in excess of 3 000 to accommodate the guests.

"We have moved a gear up on policy agenda of the general assembly. We need to ask why we lag behind despite that the country has been bastardised by the international media, especially on conflicts in North Africa.

"We have also learnt from detractors and we have to facilitate travel and low-cost entry to create employment for people.

"We are fairly sure that the election of the UNWTO secretary-general would be held on the Zambian side," he said.

Minister Mzembi said the event would succeed despite the shifting of goalposts by Finance Minister Tendai Biti.

"The event will happen in an unprecedented and African way with or without Biti's support. It has to be noted one in every 12 employees in the world is in the tourism sector. There was realisation to succeed beyond renegotiation of travel advisories. We had to re-engage and occupy our rightful place in the international tourism arena."

Minister Mzembi said the ministry had engaged their Senegalese counterparts for their artistes to perform during the UNWTO general assembly.

"The general assembly is a unique branding opportunity for any post-election government to unveil itself before the world and secure global endorsements that come with the presence of member states and business organisations from all over the world," he said.

Zambian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mrs Ndiyoyi Mutiti said her country had advanced on preparations for the general assembly.

"A lot of work has been done, including construction of a new airport in Livingstone which can handle a lot of traffic and big planes. Our government has been negotiating with hotels despite a majority of them being in the private sector so that we have appropriate accommodation.

"Zambian immigration authorities are going to work well and had several meetings with their Zimbabwean counterparts so as to facilitate easy movement of people between the two countries when they are accredited," she said.

Her Algerian counterpart Ambassador Lazhaz Boualem said: "Tourism is not a political issue and it is an opportunity of a nation and its citizens. It is one space for cultural exchange and to share experiences. It is also an opportunity for players and stakeholders in the industry to discover the Victoria Falls."

Egypt Air country general manager Mr Hamdy Elghaffar said they had plans to lease planes to Air Zimbabwe and sign code sharing agreements.

"We will avail four flights during that week that will go via Dar-es-Salam. We want to have good corporate relations with Air Zimbabwe on code sharing and renting them aircraft.

"Between April 1 and 2 we will sign a bilateral agreement to introduce four flights per week at competitive rates for those willing to link Zimbabwe and European countries," he said.

At least 189 countries are expected to attend the UNWTO general assembly.