Waste of time?

The Ruvhuvhuto Sisters may sing, dance, tour South Africa and Europe, but that is not likely to bring tourists to Zimbabwe. That is what the South African media is saying, following the launch of the latest tourism promotion campaign aimed at the South African market.

The SA media says the campaign through a CD entitled Come to Victoria Falls Down in Zimbabwe, is likely to fail unless Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe goes, because he is the major stumbling block. The media says, tourism which accounted for 12.4 percent of the country’s total wealth and 8.5 percent of employment in 1999, saw arrivals decline by 48 percent in 2001 largely because of Mugabe’s statements and actions.

Another thing denting the present campaign is that the title song was composed by Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, Mugabe’s spin-doctor and the man allegedly behind the present chaos.

But the tourism industry in Zimbabwe is very optimistic. It says arrivals have increased by 47 percent so far this year. Results of Zimsun Leisure group for the six months to September should give a clearer picture of the tourism sector.

Zimsun is one of the six key-players in the current promotion, the others being Air Zimbabwe, Rainbow Tourism Group, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Air Zimbabwe and the Civil Aviation Authority.

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