ZIMBABWE will be showcasing its tourism packages at the two-day 4th edition of the Takulandirani Malawi International Tourism Expo, which begins in Lilongwe, Malawi today.
The exhibition will be held at the Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, and comes after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe and Malawi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of tourism in 2015 and the two countries have since been enjoying cordial tourism-related working relations.
In a media brief, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said Zimbabwe’s attendance at the Malawi tourism expo is strategic as the tourism industry propagates its efforts to boost international tourism recovery in line with the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy.
“This year’s Takulandirani is expected to draw participants and buyers from Europe, North America and Asia with the significant number of participants and buyers to come from within Africa, most especially Southern and East Africa,” said ZTA.
“The Zimbabwean delegation will be led by Ms Tariro Musonza, the chief director of tourism and hospitality management.”
Ms Musonza will be accompanied by other senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
The private tourism operators to form part of the delegation will include Traverze Travel, Africa Travel and Tours, Rukoko Safaris and Malachite Travel and Tours, said the agency.
“We are excited to be travelling to Malawi to interface with international media and buyers with a particular interest on Africa and we are positive of the great impact that this interaction will have on Zimbabwe’s tourism sector,” said ZTA.
In 2022 Zimbabwe received an aggregate of 1,043 million arrivals and of those Africa contributed 350 500.
ZTA said it was confident that its marketing efforts at Takulandirani will result in a significant increase in Africa’s contribution to the aggregate tourism arrivals to Zimbabwe.
“Takulandirani is a great opportunity for Zimbabwe and the whole global travel and tourism trade to showcase tourism products and services, meet, network, negotiate, strike business deals, and establish business partnerships all under one roof,” said the agency. – The Chronicle
