The Minister of Hospitality and Tourism, Honourable Prisca Mupfumira confirmed that her department would be facilitating a conference focused on including and highlighting the contribution of Young Zimbabwean people and Women of Tourism in Zimbabwe. Speaking to Bhizimusi at the African Travel Indaba hosted in Durban, South Africa this week, she highlighted the need for authentic storytelling – a hot subject at the on-going Pan-African Conference,
“the African narrative can only be given by us instead of relying on unscrupulous external Media, we have embarked through the ruling party and the Government of Zimbabwe for a project that engages Youth in Tourism, an indaba which will involve encouraging local travel”, said Hon. Mupfumira
According to the Minister, the Youth & Women in Tourism Indaba will be hosted this September and will encourage conversations about the business of Tourism in Zimbabwe and across the continent,
“the event is a dialogue so that as a country and a region we can participate and be involved” she concluded.
Given that Zimbabwe only relies on 30% of International Tourism; she highlighting that the new dispensation’s focus was on Domestic Tourism through Heritage and Liberation tourism.
“There’s another program that we are working on by looking at the Liberation War History and National Monuments that we can enshrine so as to encourage young Zimbabweans to understand where we come from. We are engaging rural communities to share our eating habits and ways of life, women participating, sharing our culture, it’s not just about the big hotels it is about the women who become empowered come as co-operatives” she said.
The said Liberation Tourism Project will include neighbouring countries,
“we are engaging our neighbours Mozambique and Zambia to enshrine places of Historical significance, it is important for young people to understand where we are from” concluded the Minister.
Encouraging group tours, legacy restoration Hon. Mupfumira indicated that the Ministry was working towards making Tourism more affordable for the youth. This was shortly after the ‘5th Annual African Ministerial Session’ which hosted representatives from eight different countries including Zimbabwe.
The African Travel Indaba hosts over 1,500 Buyers this year of which 22 are from African countries. Zimbabwe, which has been participating at the fair since its inception 30 years ago.