VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday said Zimbabwe is a
safe and secure tourism and investment destination, endowed with unique
resources across all sectors of the economy.
He said this in his keynote address at the Zimbabwe-China
Business Forum in Harare yesterday.
“Zimbabwe is just a gem, an awakening giant, a safe and
secure tourism and investment destination,” said VP Mohadi.
“I would like to take this opportunity to reassure the
Chinese delegates that Zimbabwe has unique resources across sectors and as
Zimbabweans, we are of high intellect, resilient, and have a great work ethic
only identical to us.
“These unique attributes point to our resourcefulness and
thus a sure guarantee of our economic growth potential and a significant return
to your investment.”
VP Mohadi’s remarks come at a time when investors are
softening their stance on the country following a transformation of investment
laws and efforts by Government to improve the ease of doing business
environment.
Several laws have been enacted while others such as the
Companies and Other Business Entities Bill, are at various stages of
completion, so as to improve the investment climate.
On Thursday, President Mnangagwa told attendees at the
commissioning of the $62 million smelter at Unki Mines in Shurugwi that
Government will pull all stops to ensure more investors are attracted into the
country.
High value investments such as the US$4,2 billion Karo
Resources platinum project in Ngezi and the US$3 billion Darwendale platinum
projects, are some of the investments attracted by the new dispensation and are
at different stages of consummation.
VP Mohadi said the Zimbabwe China Business Forum was an
opportunity to “establish strategic alliances and partnerships for our economic
revival”.
“It is, therefore, prudent that each business
representative here present, applies themselves fully in today’s interface for
this purpose.
“Our meeting today (yesterday) is sure proof that indeed
tourism cuts across sectors and is a precursor to investment. I would like to
applaud the Chinese business delegates for believing in us by responding to our
call for investment,” said VP Mohadi.
He said the Chinese businesspeople have not only immersed
themselves in the wonders of destination Zimbabwe, but have also come with
“keen interest” to explore possibilities of strategic alliances, partnerships
and business opportunities, given their composition.
VP Mohadi said the expressions of interest by the Chinese
businesspeople was a “true reflection” that tourism is a critical sector of the
country’s economy and if strategically managed, could result in ripple effects
across other sectors, resulting in growth of the overall national income.
He added that the business forum would go a long way in
promoting investments across all sectors of the economy, as Government pushes
for the attainment of an Upper Middle Income economy by 2030.
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is on a growth trajectory with
arrivals reaching almost 2,6 million last year, representing a 6 percent jump
from the year earlier.
The growth in arrivals was spurred by a notable rise in
arrivals from all source regions and most major markets except the Americas,
and VP Mohadi believes if the trend continues, Zimbabwe would soon enjoy a
significant share of the global market.
Focus areas to grow arrivals are destination promotion,
international market representation, destination image transformation, destination
branding, stakeholder’s strategic alliances, and digital marketing.
VP Mohadi praised the strategic partnership between
Zimbabwe and Touchroad International Holdings, a Chinese travel and tourism
company that brought a 343-member Chinese delegation into the country on
Thursday.
He said the partnership with Touchroad, which will bring
about 300 Chinese tourists monthly, has come at the “right time for us to
increase our market presence and destination visibility in the Chinese market”.
A robust image for destination Zimbabwe will ensure the
country increases international tourists, exports and foreign direct
investment, and enhance economic growth and in turn create decent jobs. Herald
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