Zimbabwe heads to Germany to market tourism offerings

The Government of Zimbabwe together with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and other private- sector stakeholders will be participating in the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) in Berlin from March 6 to 10.

ITB is arguably the biggest tourism fair in the world, bringing together tour operators, tourism boards, tourism service providers and government officials, and providing a unique destination marketing opportunity for African countries.

Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Prisca Mupfumira says the country is set to take full advantage of the expected business at the international tourism fair. “The German market remains one of Zimbabwe’s key source markets, ranked third in overseas arrivals after the USA and UK, contributing 39 934 arrivals in 2018 – a clear indication of the significance of this market for Zimbabwean tourism. ITB is the world’s largest travel show, where the whole world’s tourism converges; the fair is said to have recorded business engagement to a value of $7 billion in 2018, and as such we ought to tap into this and benefit from this cake, especially as we are considered one of the best destinations to visit during 2019,”she says.

ITB also gives tourism service providers opportunities to build a solid database of potential clients, meet and mingle with current and potential clients, inform clients about products, collect client opinions, recover clients, carry out market studies, test out new products and services and marketing campaigns, keep channels of communication with publishers and journalists open, and promote the publication of news items regarding new products and services.

Last month Zimbabwe also participated at the 39th annual Feira de Tourism, or International Tourism Trade Fair (Fitur), in Madrid, where various deals were secured.

Source: tourismupdate.co.za