Zimbabwe: Wengayi Nhau disclosed the country’s good footprint on the Tourism Industry

By Abdul Rahman Bangura-

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone– Statistically, it’s crystal that, the value of investments into the Tourism Sector in 2023 was a backlash by 45% to $172 million from $312.5 million in the prior year.

According to sources, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe President Wengayi Nhau remarked, from the above international tourist arrival statistics, the country’s tourism sector is on a sound path to recovery.

“As you might have also noticed, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion reported that the tourism sector in the month of January to September of 2023 was the highest contributor to the GDP at 12,1 %. This was ahead of mining, agriculture and manufacturing,” Nhau stated.

“So, getting just that statement from the Ministry of Finance that we were the highest contributor means a lot in terms of the recovery compared to where we were pre-pandemic levels in terms of our contribution, as well as general performance of the sector.

“There is quite a lot of improvement in terms of arrivals, in terms of the money generated and people are spending a bit longer than they were spending before the pre-pandemic period.

“We are also on a drive to increase the length of stay — it’s not about the number of people who come to a country, you might still get one million people coming into a country but spending an average of 10 nights per person. That gives you much more in terms of revenue than from 1,5 million who are coming and staying an average of three nights.”

Nhau stated, the local tourism industry desires to implementing measures that assure tourists increase the number of days they stay in the country.

“Like we are doing, collaborating with different destinations. Victoria Falls and Kariba are collaborating a lot, Harare and Kariba are collaborating a lot and also Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are collaborating so that when people arrive in Harare they can then go to Mana Pools, Kariba, Victoria Falls . . . that gives us more nights and more revenue and of course investments,” he noted.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports, Africa Correspondent