Published on : Saturday, March 10, 2018
Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa has directed Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira to lead the process in setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for tourism. This project will see Hwange, Victoria Falls and Kariba transform into a tourism hub in the continent.
Minister Mupfumira said that her ministry has already placed “expression of interest adverts” in local media and online platforms.
The minister said that the entire Hwange-Victoria Falls-Kariba belt would be turned into a “virtual city”, with world class artificial beaches, hotels and conference centres, alongside a host of other business opportunities. The SEZ will have favouritism towards conventional, medical and sporting tourism.
The minister said, “The Special Economic Zone will come with benefits in the areas of taxation and special concessions. We invite investors to take advantage of this opportunity while it still lasts. It’s a first-come-first-served or winner takes all.”
About the President’s expectations from the tourism sector, minister Mupfumira said, “He has clearly said economics and trade cooperation would be his priority in Zimbabwe, rather than politics in order to catch up with the region. He has also stated that Zimbabwe was been lagging behind in many areas as a result of isolation for the past 18 years. Now we are saying to the world: ‘Zimbabwe is now open for business’. And to do so, he said there is need ‘to look at all the legislation that has been constraining business coming into Zimbabwe to improve the ease of doing business’. I, therefore, assumed this task willingly, given the political will to change the way things were being done and the enthusiasm and excitement that we were getting from all major source markets following the new political dispensation that saw Zimbabwe celebrate a peaceful transition.”
Tags: Zimbabwe Tourism