Tourist arrivals this year are seen taking a knock as a result of restricted international travel due to the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said yesterday.
The ZTA last month said Zimbabwe had lost business worth $6 million since the outbreak of the highly contagious virus in March which has resulted in limited international travel and 30 foreign buyers had withdrawn their participation in this year’s Sanganai/Hlanganai World Tourism Expo which starts today, ZTA chief executive Karikoga Kaseke told a media conference.
He said the outbreak had negatively impacted on the local tourism industry and the number of cancelled visits was projected to grow.
“We have had cancellations (for paid for bookings). People had paid for holidays in Zimbabwe and are demanding their monies back,” said Kaseke.
“We have not done a total impact assessment on this Ebola issue but the amount of business lost is most likely to continue growing and surpass the $6 million as we approach the holiday season.”
No cases of the virus have been recorded in Zimbabwe.- The Source
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They were going to find a reason for a failed show, anyway. Is it really Ebola or is it an ailing economy and a country on political auto-pilot?
It won't stop me visiting Zimbabwe for 15 days in November. People have to be more rational and think just what the odds are of meeting, purely by coincidence, someone with the virus and then exchanging bodily fluids with each other. Of course individuals need to take care and be sensible, but stopping travelling is just not necessary. All it does is feed the press who then sensationalise it in their newspapers together with other forms of media.
I can't wait to board my flight.