The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is expecting a strong surge in tourist traffic into the country after occupancy levels increased in the resort town of Victoria Falls and city hotels in the month of July.
The positive turn for the once-embattled sector comes after the ZTA unveiled a new marketing campaign for the country predicated upon a new slogan, Zimbabwe a world of wonders.
Treasury had bankrolled the campaign as well as the rebranding of Zimbabwe as tourism product.
Before this rebranding, the campaign was anchored by the slogan Africa's paradise.
"It is amazing to note what this new brand has achieved. Arrivals have picked up tremendously as witnessed by the occupancy of our hotels," Karikoga Kaseke, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer, said.
"I was in Victoria Falls and the occupancy is averaging 80 percent. I also challenge you to visit Harare hotels, the levels are high."
Zimbabwe's tourism industry has been on a recovery path following the adoption of a multi-currency regime and formation of an inclusive government in 2009 that ended a political crisis triggered by a battle for power between Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC formation and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF.
The environment prior to the formation of the inclusive government had been characterised by political bickering and an unprecedented economic meltdown characterised by record high inflation levels.
Kaseke said hotel occupancies in the resort town and city hotels averaged 80 percent in July amid expectations that the figure could further increase during the last quarter of the year.
Official figures show that room occupancy rates in Victoria Falls reached 37 percent between January and March compared to 32 percent recorded during the same period last year. City hotels in Harare and Bulawayo recorded slightly higher room occupancies compared to those in Victoria Falls at the start of the year after reaching 49 and 41 percent respectively.
The positive turn for the once-embattled sector comes after the ZTA unveiled a new marketing campaign for the country predicated upon a new slogan, Zimbabwe a world of wonders.
Treasury had bankrolled the campaign as well as the rebranding of Zimbabwe as tourism product.
Before this rebranding, the campaign was anchored by the slogan Africa's paradise.
"It is amazing to note what this new brand has achieved. Arrivals have picked up tremendously as witnessed by the occupancy of our hotels," Karikoga Kaseke, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer, said.
"I was in Victoria Falls and the occupancy is averaging 80 percent. I also challenge you to visit Harare hotels, the levels are high."
Zimbabwe's tourism industry has been on a recovery path following the adoption of a multi-currency regime and formation of an inclusive government in 2009 that ended a political crisis triggered by a battle for power between Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC formation and President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF.
The environment prior to the formation of the inclusive government had been characterised by political bickering and an unprecedented economic meltdown characterised by record high inflation levels.
Kaseke said hotel occupancies in the resort town and city hotels averaged 80 percent in July amid expectations that the figure could further increase during the last quarter of the year.
Official figures show that room occupancy rates in Victoria Falls reached 37 percent between January and March compared to 32 percent recorded during the same period last year. City hotels in Harare and Bulawayo recorded slightly higher room occupancies compared to those in Victoria Falls at the start of the year after reaching 49 and 41 percent respectively.
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