Tourism
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World Elephant Day: Adventurer Holly Budge, 20 elephant specialists attract global audience
On World Elephant Day this year, on August 12th, Holly Budge, founder and leader of international non-profit, How Many Elephants, was among the impressive line-up of speakers at the global online event – ‘Elephants – from conflict to coexistence.’ Hosted by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), over 20 speakers spanning four…
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IATA urges global governments to adopt WHO travel rules
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on states to follow new guidance on travel from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The guidance recommends a “risk-based approach” to implementing measures related to Covid-19 and international travel. Specifically, WHO recommended that governments: Do not require proof of Covid-19 vaccination as a mandatory condition for entry…
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Victoria Falls’s Zambezi Boutique Guest House: Going the extra mile to offer the best
Fresh. Exquisite. Dependable. Majestic. Refreshing. Compact. Versatile. Different. This is a fair trial but inadequate attempt to describe Victoria Falls’ most recent, attractive, and popular citadel of tourism and hospitality services – the Zambezi Guest House. It is completely private – secluded and nestled in a peaceful suburb of Victoria Falls, approximately a 1 km…
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Zimbabwe Government must embrace youthful talent
By Nicholas Ncube Zimbabwe is a land of talented and enterprising young people who shine in whatever part of the world or endeavour they find themself in. Zimbabwe has produced talent such as the flying elephant Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu, Leeroy Gopal, Oliver Mutukudzi, Marvelous Nakamba, Fanyana Dube, Edwin Hama, Danai Gurira, Tongai Chirisa, Busi…
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Review of the Parks and Wildlife Act to foster natural resources conservation
Environment and tourism stakeholders had a consultative meeting in Harare yesterday to gather views on the review of the Parks and Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14] to ensure that the Act meets the current needs of society whilst at the same time addressing a myriad of contemporary sector challenges. In his keynote address, Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu,…
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Minister Ndlovu on a whirlwind countrywide domestic tourism campaign
Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has embarked on a whirlwind countrywide tour to promote domestic tourism. The minister, smarting from a tour of the pristine wildlife conservation area of the Lowveld that is home to the prestigious Malilangwe of the famous Pamushana Lodge, is in Mashonaland East Province…
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ZTA hosts digital workshop for tourism SMEs
In a bid to capacitate, develop and initiate new marketing methods in the advent of a massive global digital uptake, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is set to host a virtual Digital Marketing workshop tomorrow. The main objective of the workshop is to equip Small to Medium Enterprises in the tourism sector with the requisite…
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Advancing harmonised travel protocols and financing tourism survival
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has again convened its Global Tourism Crisis Committee to lead the sector in harmonizing travel and health protocols and securing vital financing for businesses struggling to survive a historic crisis. The ninth meeting of the Crisis Committee advanced solutions to the biggest challenges standing in the way of international travel returning.…
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UN Secretary General Calls upon Stakeholders to Conserve Forest Species
By Joyce Mukucha The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged governments, businesses, and people everywhere to work tirelessly in scaling up efforts to create awareness about flora and fauna as well as conserving so as to contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He communicated this in his message on World Wildlife Day…
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COVID-19 adversely impacts communities, local authorities’ capacity to conserve wildlife
COVID 19 has reduced the ability of the government, local authorities (Rural District Councils-RDCs) to fund the protection of wildlife and other natural resources from poaching, unsustainable exploitation and human-wildlife conflict, Hon Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry has said. He made the remarks during the hand over of equipment…
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Restaurants business on the brink of collapse as operations remain banned
Zimbabwe’s restaurant trade is teetering on the brink of collapse, following a year of closure or partial operation, and with no end to the crisis in sight. Restaurant Operators’ Association of Zimbabwe president Bongai Zamchiya says the non-operational or partial-operational status of restaurants since March last year has created a massive problem for the trade…
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Wildlife: A Focus on Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
By Team Africa Geographic As dusk descends over the red sands of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, her animal choir prepares for another encore-worthy performance. First, the barking geckos emerge to set up the staccato rhythmic accompaniment for what is to come. The pennywhistle arpeggios of the pearl-spotted owlet – disproportionately loud for such a small…
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Canon creates partnerships to support Wildlife Conservation
Africa with is elephants or rhinos and a host of other wildlife, fauna, and flora. This landscape is Africa’s brand; it is what makes it Africa. If that is not enough of a reason to conserve our wildlife, basic economics should serve as a further impetus. After all, Africa’s wildlife is one of the primary…
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2020: Worst year in tourism history with 1 billion fewer international arrivals
By UNWTO Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% according to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Destinations worldwide welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions.…
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Coronavirus in Africa could reverse 30 years of Wildlife conservation gain
By Edwin Tambara For wild animals in Africa on the verge of extinction and the tight knit communities who protect them, COVID-19 is a specter, disrupting a delicate balancing act of survival for both humans and endangered species. African officials and conservation experts from Kenya, Uganda and Gabon briefed members of Congress on May 12…
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St. Regis Hotels Heralds a New Beacon of Luxury on the Nile
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International (www.Marriott.com), on 6 January 2021 announced the highly-anticipated opening of The St. Regis Cairo. Rising tall on the banks of the River Nile, The St. Regis Cairo is an illustrious icon weaving a powerful story of luxury in the region. Located at the North end of…
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Accessible Tourism Identified as ‘Game Changer’ for Destinations
Ensuring accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements can be a ‘game changer’ for destinations around the world as they look to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic. A new set of Inclusive Recovery Guides from the World Tourism Organization, produced in partnership with the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the ONCE Foundation…
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Tourism Back to 1990 Levels as Arrivals Fall by More than 70%
International arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence, and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism. According to the latest tourism data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), destinations welcomed 900 million…
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In absence of tourists, Victoria Falls residents come together to explore their own city
December is usually one of the busiest periods for Zimbabwe’s tourism hub of Victoria Falls, with typical hotel occupancies of around 90%. This year, following the downturn in tourism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism community has been hard hit. Businesses, livelihoods, and local communities have all been impacted. In an extraordinary…
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Ramaphosa is selling off South Africa’s iconic wildlife – and it needs to stop
By Jason Baker Should the president of South Africa be trading in protected species and pocketing huge sums of money from their deaths? PETA (www.PETA.org) released an undercover investigation (https://bit.ly/3oBOk6q) exposing Cyril Ramaphosa’s carefully concealed – but extensive – trophy hunting interests. At his Phala Phala game-breeding operation, Ramaphosa breeds and sells animals to be gunned down…
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Fastjet 5th Consecutive win at the World Travel Awards hailed
Fastjet does it again! For the fifth consecutive year, Fastjet has been awarded by the World Travel Awards the title of “Africa’s Leading Low-Cost Airline – 2020”. The organisers announced the win at the 27th World Travel Awards – Africa Winners Day online event hosted on Monday, 09 November 2020. The World Travel Awards, established…
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International Tourism Down 70% as Travel Restrictions Impact All Regions
Restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hit global tourism hard, with the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) showing a 70% fall in international arrivals for the first eight months of 2020. According to the newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international arrivals plunged 81% in July and 79% in August,…
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Government of Zimbabwe and IFC Launch Victoria Falls Tourism Recovery Plan
The Government of Zimbabwe and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, yesterday launched an initiative to boost tourism in and around Victoria Falls to help strengthen Zimbabwe’s tourism industry, which has suffered a sharp decline in visitors because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, the ‘Victoria Falls Area Tourism…
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COVID-19: Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo To Be Held Under The New Normal
The year 2020 edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo is being held virtually in response to the coronavirus pandemic that has prevented the gathering of many people in a face-to-face interface, Hon Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has said. He alluded to this fact while officially opening the…
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Pamushana Africa Group partners Zimnat to paint Mutorashanga green
Mutorashanga Green Pools are a beauty, a marvel, and incredible spot to hang out for travel enthusiasts. Approximately an hour and half drive from Harare, this joint is becoming the place where people visit to have fun, and enjoy the outdoors. The place is a great site for swimming, and diving, offering a thrilling experience,…
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Major biodiversity conference kicks off in less than two weeks
The Global Landscapes Forum Biodiversity Conference will be held under the theme, ‘One World—One Health’ and will run on 28 and 29 October 2020 from 9 a.m. Bonn (UTC/GMT+1). WHAT: Halting biodiversity loss is essential to tackle the climate, food and global health crises, but how to turn ambitious green recovery pledges into concrete solutions that are feasible…
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USD12 million support for the Zambezi Valley Biodiversity Project: Minister Ndlovu
By Anyway Yotamu. The government has procured equipment to increase the national capacity for illegal wildlife trade control, integrated wildlife, anti-poaching, and woodland management of the Protected Area network under the Zambezi Valley Biodiversity Project. The government has procured various equipment for the project worth USD$12 million from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and the…
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President Mnangagwa unveils ZC tourism campaign
President Emmerson Mnagangwa has officially launched a promotional campaign spearheaded by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) aimed at boosting the country’s tourism. ZC is working on the project in partnership with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. The initiative, unveiled on Tuesday evening at a colourful event held at the State House in Harare, is expected to leverage on…
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UNWTO to harness the power of AI to link tourism workers with jobs
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is to work with California-based Eightfold.ai to help connect tourism jobseekers with employers and so drive the global recovery of the sector. The new partnership will see UNWTO harness the power of the Eightfold Talent Exchange, a marketplace connecting workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with available jobs. Using advanced deep-learning AI, the Exchange matches…
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Tourism growth: rural service centres take shape
Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu on Monday urged Zimbabweans at home and abroad to take up investment opportunities in rural service centres and position themselves for imminent growth and development. Speaking at the occasion of the World Tourism Day Celebrations 2020 at Chinhoyi University of Technology, Ndhlovu said Government has begun…
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Kore Kore Culture Amplified
Tourism and environment players on Monday marked World Tourism Day Celebrations by handing over the Kore Kore Cultural Village, to the Makonde community. The Kore Kore Cultural Village was funded by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority as part of the Ministry’s 100 Day projects. The development was in line with this year’s theme of ‘Tourism and…
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Fastjet resumes flight services in Zimbabwe
As Zimbabwe relaxed the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and opened up flights and other tourism services, Fastjet has resumed its domestic flights in Zimbabwe. This reporter witnessed a remarkable improvement in security at the Robert Mugabe and the Joshua Nkomo International Airports in as far as COVID-19 preventive measures are concerned. Mr. Felix Nyangani, the Head…
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International tourist numbers drop by 65 percent during COVID-19 pandemic: UNWTO.
By Anyway Yotamu International tourist arrivals plunged 93% in June when compared to 2019 owing to the severe impact of coronavirus to the tourism sector, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has said. The latest data from UNWTO’s World Tourism Barometer shows that international tourist arrivals dropped by 65% in the first half of…
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5 Ways Social Distancing Are Changing The Restaurants
By Heidi Jones Now, many countries are beginning to lift nation-wide lockdowns imposed due to coronavirus. But their economies are in a crippled state. Many people have lost their jobs, and almost everyone is in an altruist mode. We have not had holiday trips, watched a theatre show, or witnessed a sporting event for the…
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Lockdown relaxation: An opportunity for tourism stakeholders to come together
By Anyway Yotamu COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Africa’s growing travel and tourism sectors. From the time the first case of COVID-19 was discovered in China in December 2019, the consequences have cut across all the economic sectors globally. One of the worst affected sectors was tourism, which was grounded globally amid fears…
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Rural development takes centre stage on the commemoration of tourism month
This September Zimbabwe joins the family of nations across the world in celebrating tourism. The World Tourism Day set for 27 September every year was founded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) with an aim of fostering awareness among the international community, of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and…
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Tourism players feel the pinch of COVID-19-induced economic hardships as the sector reopens
By Anyway Yotamu With the government announcing the reopening of the tourism sector across the country after five months of closure following the health and safety guidelines approved by the Cabinet, players in the industry are feeling the pinch of economic hardships. Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Tourism said the government will focus strongly on…
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Government bans mining activities in national parks
The government has announced that mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect as steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining title held in National Parks. This comes as a relief amidst reports that two mining companies namely Zhongxin Coal Mining Group and Afrochine Smelting allegedly received permission from the…
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Discovery of Mandadzaka’s Late Stone Age site
By Nimrod Ushe A fascinating Stone Age habitat has been reported to the Spiked Online Media by one of the denizens in Bikita District. It is situated approximately three kilometres south-west of Mandadzaka Shopping Centre in Munatsi Village and adjacent to Musaizi river. Speaking to Spiked Online Media, Allan Muridzo said that “There is a…
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Climate crisis worsens wildlife invasions in Bulilima
By Habakkuk Trust National Parks officials gunned down three buffalos in Bulilima District yesterday in a bid to drive them away from human settlements. Buffalos herd reportedly numbering over a 100, invaded Makhulela, Huwana, and Khame areas and have been roaming close to human settlements for the past three days. Parks officials in the company of a…
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Government reopens the tourism sector after five months of closure
By Anyway Yotamu The government has announced the reopening of the tourism sector across the country after five months of closure following the health and safety guidelines conducted. The decision was approved by Cabinet. Addressing journalists on Thursday 3 September 2020 in Harare, Minister of Environment Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu said, “We meet…
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Birdlife Zimbabwe, CTA advocate for environmental management in Chimanimani
By Gideon Madzikatidze The Chimanimani Tourism Association (CTA) and Birdlife Zimbabwe are warning people to desist from taking advantage of lockdown regulations to indiscriminately plunder resources in the Chimanimani area of Manicaland. The two organisations cited the Chimanimani mountainous area where rampant illegal alluvial gold mining is allegedly taking place during the locakdown to the…
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WildEarth Pop Up Channel On DStv
Africa’s magnificent wildlife is the focus of a pop-up channel now running 24/7 for three months on DStv. The new channel is WildEarth, which has to date been broadcasting on YouTube, FaceBook and other content viewing platforms. WildEarth is available on Premium and Compact Plus packages on DStv channel 183. Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, said:…
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Ride4Rangers cyclists launch a fundraising campaign in support of Tusk Trust
A team of British Amateur cyclists has started the Global 30,000KM Bike ride with Land’s End to John O’Groates Adventure to protect African Rangers and Wildlife. 50+ African Travel professionals doing a joint bike ride Land’s End to John O’Groats Thousands of people around the globe doing their own ‘virtual’ bike ride for Rangers 874…