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In pursuit of leaving no one and no place behind as espoused by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, a multi-stakeholder partnership has given birth to the Braille for Tourism initiative in Victoria Falls.
The Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry (MECTHI), in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), Victoria Falls City Council, and Airports Company of Zimbabwe, with technical support from Mobi-Tech, yesterday launched Braille for Tourism in Victoria Falls.
Shelley Cox, the Director of We Are Victoria Falls, told Spiked Online Media that the first phase of the programme saw Braille signage implemented and unveiled within Victoria Falls Airport and the Victoria Falls Rain Forest, with additional signage to be installed across the City Centre in coming weeks, making Victoria Falls the first inclusive destination in Zimbabwe and Africa, catering for visually impaired members of society locally and globally.
Speaking at the launch event, the Honorable Minister Ndlovu confirmed that the programme is part of continued efforts to demonstrate why Zimbabwe is a destination of choice, “it is important that public and commercial spaces become safe and inclusive spaces for those with disabilities, prioritising those who have previously been on the margins. Braille for Tourism is a means to afford equal rights for all to enjoy our exceptional tourism product.”
In 2021, spearheaded by Enock Mawema and the Mobi-Tech team, the first Braille rails were installed at The Lookout Cafe as a pilot project and was the start of the dream to create a more inclusive space in the tourism sector across the country.
Both National Parks and Airports Company of Zimbabwe confirmed that yesterday was the start and first phase of the Braille for Tourism Programme and that efforts are underway to include signage to other national parks and airports across the country in the next five years.
Thanks go to the private sector players who have supported the launch in Victoria Falls including Wild Horizons, Shearwater, Elephant Hills Resort, and Africa Albida Tourism amongst others.
And special thanks go to MECTHI, National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Vic Falls City Council, Airports Company of Zimbabwe, ZTA, and the Mobi-Tech and Braille for Africa team for making Victoria Falls the first inclusive destination in Africa.