NEW: ‘Zimbabwe is a safe, beautiful destination’

Online Reporter

DELEGATES that attended the recently-held Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo held in Bulawayo described Zimbabwe as a beautiful and peaceful country.

They also highlighted that the tourism sector has a lot of untapped investment opportunities.

The Sunday Mail (SM) spoke with one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) delegates, Mr Zaim Muhammad (ZM), during the expo which ran from October 13 to 15. Below are excerpts from the interview,

SM: Can you briefly tell us about yourself and why you are here?

ZM: I am a travel and tourism professional and I have a travel business in Dubai. The reason why I came here was to explore the beauty of Zimbabwe. I have been meeting exhibitors from different parts of the country. I have done game drives and experienced some of the best tourism products in the country and I’m selling this to my clients based in Dubai.

SM: How has been the experience?

ZM: Zimbabwe is amazing, and I will be sending a group of businesspeople from Dubai to form synergies with local tourism players. We look forward to having more clients from Dubai to Zimbabwe. I found the country to be more than what I expected. The people are really nice. People have a wrong perception when they hear about Zimbabwe, but it’s a safe, peaceful and beautiful country.

SM: From your observations, what needs to be improved?

ZM: We had some challenges when we landed in Harare. Our paperwork was in order, but we still had some challenges at the airport. The immigration team appeared like they did not know what to do with our team. However, the situation was swiftly rectified, but that is one area that needs to be looked into. Also, I would like to emphasize that Zimbabwe is not only about Victoria Falls; it is much more. For instance, Bulawayo has a lot to offer. They have the national railways history, Matopo Hills, including the history of some of the kings and queens of this country.

SM: Did you manage to identify any investment opportunities?

ZM: I would love to invest in the national parks. That is one of the reasons why I am here, including investing in private lodges. I have met Zimparks officials and have a clear idea of how the system works. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country, which is an advantage in business terms. In terms of development and tourism, roads are very important. Transport is crucial. You guys need to have Uber Taxi services for tourists so that they can be able to move around freely. You also need to have more theme parks. Zimbabwe has a lot of potential to grow in terms of tourism and development.