Zimbabwe: Tourism Awards Expose Detractors
05.04.2010, 17:00
ZIMBABWE continues to make waves on the international tourism market despite attempts by some Western countries to vilify the country as a risky travel destination.
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The successes that Zimbabwe has scored have left an egg streaming down the faces of detractors who tried to brand the country as the equivalent of war-torn Iraq or Afghanistan.
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The negative branding has seen some countries like the United States issuing travel warnings to their nationals admonishing them against visiting Zimbabwe.
Other countries like New Zealand and Australia have also issued strong warnings against travelling to Zimbabwe.
In spite of their concerted campaigns, Zimbabwe scooped the Global Destination and Most Visited Stand Awards at the Kuwait International Fair, which was a sign that the international tourism industry recognises Zimbabwe as a secure travel destination.
This was also evident in the visit by the two Saudi princes -- Abdulazziz and Mohammed Salman Al Saud -- who will be in Zimbabwe for the next 30 days visiting various tourist attractions.
No tourist would stay more than a few hours in a "risky" environment.
The royal visit and the awards show that Zimbabwe has managed to divest the negative image foisted on it by sections of the Western media following the fall out between Harare and London over the land reform programme.
The Kuwaiti awards came on the heels of a similar award the country received in China -- the Luxury Destination in Africa -- which was sponsored by the Voyager Magazine.
The Global Destination and Most Visited Stand awards confirmed Zimbabwe's unrivalled status as a premier destination with the Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the resplendent Great Zimbabwe, the Eastern Highlands and vibrant wildlife sanctuaries teeming with game.
The Kuwait Fair is one of the two leading travel shows in the Middle East aimed at bringing together international tourism players to the lucrative Arabian peninsular.
These awards should increase tourist arrivals that plummeted after the turn of the millennium.
Since 2000, the US State Department has issued several travel warnings for its residents, claiming that economic meltdown in the country made Zimbabwe an unsafe destination for tourists.
These travel warnings were buttressed by sensationalised reports that predicted that Zimbabwe would witness genocide by January 2003.
Hired guns like former ZBC staffer, Tichaona Sibanda, were interviewed on the BBC telling the world the same fibs.
According to a travel warning issued by the US government in November last year, "Zimbabwe remains one of the most inhabitable country's in the region with declining standards of living".
"US citizens residing in or travelling to Zimbabwe should be aware of continuing conditions that could affect their safety, including the outbreak of sporadic demonstrations driven by deteriorating economic conditions.
"Zimbabwe's economy is in a protracted state of decline, with extremely high rates of unemployment and inflation. Deteriorating economic conditions have led to a significant increase in crime, including violent crime," read the statement.
Another US publication, the February/March edition of the News and Views from the World, a newsletter published by the foreign affairs department claimed that Zimbabwe's economy remains the worst performing in the region making it a dangerous and volatile destina- tion.
It alleged rampant violence, farm seizures and human rights abuses.
Accordingly, the US and its allies claimed that lawlessness had prompted them to impose travel restrictions against senior Zimbabwean officials and sanctions on the country.
The tourism accolades Zimbabwe scooped showed that the negative publicity did not have the impact its paddlers intended it to have.
Though over the years Western tourist arrivals slumped by 49 percent, there were signs of recovery from the UK.
The increase in arrivals from the United Kingdom, of all other markets, showed that the detractors had lost the propaganda war against Zimbabwe.
Stakeholders said the recent award was a vote of confidence in Zimbabwe and a major blow for the Western propaganda machinery that tried to erode international tourist confidence in the country.