Elita Chikwati : Senior Reporter
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Engineer Walter Mzembi yesterday left for Egypt as he kick-starts the globalisation of his candidature, following his endorsement by the African Union as its sole candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.He will also visit Tunisia and Kenya.
He was seen off at the Harare International Airport by his deputy, Cde Anastancia Ndlovu, and Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Moayad Fatthallah El Dalie.
Eng Mzembi said his visit followed two critical invitations from North Africa.
“The government of Egypt has invited me to engage them on three critical areas on bilateral tourism co-operation agreement,” he said.
He said Egypt was important as it held the presidency of the executive council of the UNWTO.
“I am going to see my bosses to compare notes on a number of critical issues, but principally, Egypt is a member of the AU and is bound by the collective decisions of the Kigali Summit to the extent that I am now Africa’s sole candidate for the position.
“We will also interrogate global issues affecting tourism,” he said.
In Tunisia, Eng Mzembi is expected to join a presidential delegation that will be participating in the Japanese African forum in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 25.
“I am glad to travel to Tunisia and there are high expectations from this trip, which I have decided to fulfil after Egypt,” he said.
He said terrorism had affected tourism in the three countries and him as the candidate and chairperson for Africa would assist in the prescription of solutions to issues relating to security, and come up with mitigating measures.
He said there was need to seriously emphasise on the Visit to Africa Campaign.
Eng Mzembi said there was a critical mass within Africa in terms of the travelling public to mitigate the loss of external source markets.
“Africa suffers from a negative travel balance. We have more out-bound than in-bound traffic into the continent. We need to check and ensure the opposite happens. As we do that obviously we are prone to leakages.
“Recently, President Mbeki was charged by the AU to check on the illicit outflows out of the continent and tourism constitutes a huge percent of those outflows out of the continent to the rest of the world. There is need to open our gates to each other as Africa.”
Ambassador El Dalie, welcomed Eng Mzembi’s visit to his country.
“We welcome the minister on his visit to Cairo, and it is a long awaited visit. We hope it will be fruitful especially heading the UNWTO. It is time for Africa to head this important organisation,” he said.
Meanwhile, there will be two religious tourism events while the Minister will be away.
At least 12 000 tourists are expected to visit Gwanda for the Gwanda Gospel Festival from August 26 to 29. UFIC will also hold Judgment Night 4 and is expecting more than 30 000 international guests.