Tourist arrivals to often-shunned Zimbabwe are up by 45% so far this year and there are high hopes the once-booming industry’s decline is now over, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief was quoted as saying on Friday.
The first nine months of 2006 saw a 45% rise with 1 596 364 tourists in Zimbabwe compared with 1 104 368 in the same period in 2005, ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said in a report carried by the state-controlled Herald newspaper.
But arrivals from traditional markets like Europe continue to plummet, Kaseke admitted. Most new visitors are coming from the Middle East, China and Asian countries, according to the report.
Short of vital reserves of foreign currency, President Robert Mugabe’s government is keen to revive the tourism industry that has seen a massive slowdown since the launch of the land-reform programme and the onset of economic problems six years ago.
Mugabe’s government blames the waning interest on negative media reports on Zimbabwe meant to maliciously tarnish the image of his country.
But critics say shortages of fuel and a skewed exchange rate that makes tourism facilities incredibly expensive have also scared off would-be visitors.
Arrivals from traditional source market Europe are down by 20%, according to Kaseke. But arrivals from Africa are up by 52%, from the Middle East 160% and from China and Asia 30%.
”If this is anything to go by, the decline is coming to an end,” the tourism boss was quoted as saying. ”We now have to make sure that we do not experience a decline in 2007.”
In a separate report the Herald said the government was working to make sure there would be fuel available solely for tourists wishing to visit Zimbabwe over the Christmas period.
Fourteen ”refuelling points” are to be set up along Zimbabwe’s major tourist routes, the paper said.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing fuel shortages for several years now. On the lucrative parallel market, the scarce commodity sells at up to Z$2 000 ($8) per litre, more than six times the price set by the government. — Sapa-dpa