Zimbabwe needs more open borders for tourism

Zimbabwe has certainly moved a step backwards from August 2013.

For some period during that month, Zimbabwe and Zambia were operating an open border system, albeit temporarily, for the 20th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

It was a system that worked wonders as delegates to the event could move between the two African countries without hassle….and it was to the benefit of both countries.

It was the type of seamless border that should become the rule rather than the exception throughout Africa.

At a broader level, an open border system seems to complement Article 13 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights which follows that: (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

A definite plus.

But there are also benefits that can accrue, particularly to a significant tourism destination such as Zimbabwe.

Here are the recent words of the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Engineer Walter Mzembi:

"Successful tourism models in Seychelles, Malaysia, Singapore… they do not have these restrictions on entry, unfortunately we have them ourselves. We have not understood that we can very easily turn around this economy with tourism, even before we go to other productive sectors of the economy.

"Why do I say so? Just go next door to South Africa, they are receipting $12 billion per annum from tourism because they have opened up."

The very same Minister also likes a particular Biblical verse, Isaiah 60 verse 11:

"Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations - their kings led in triumphal procession."

Tourism is the window to the world. It opens Zimbabwe to the world, and the world to Zimbabwe.

During the third quarter of last year, SADC committed itself to the introduction of the UNI-VISA system during a Ministerial Roundtable meeting at the afore-mentioned UNWTO General Assembly.

It is anticipated that introduction of the UNI-VISA in the SADC region can create positive economic benefits for the performance of those countries, particularly in terms of job creation, financial impact, fiscal revenue and growth in national Gross Domestic Product.

It's a great plan, but nothing has come out of that yet.

Zimbabwe should therefore not just wait on SADC is doing in respect of the UNI-VISA, but should play a more active role in ensuring that its borders are more open.