Youths, local tourism key to economic development: ZTA 

Source: Youths, local tourism key to economic development: ZTA – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY LORRAINE MUROMO
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) says domestic tourism and the inclusion of youths in tourism is pivotal for the country’s economic development.

 

Speaking on the sidelines of the Youth Capacitation and Tourism Innovation Challenge Awards ceremony in Harare on Tuesday, ZTA domestic tourism and strategic research director Sophie Zirebwa said tourism was doing extremely well in Zimbabwe given that 50% of its income is coming from domestic tourism.

“Domestic tourism plays a very significant role in our tourism and we are taking various initiatives to grow the sector,” Zirebwa said.

“We introduced an innovation challenge with the aim to strengthen tourism, tapping into the youth who have so much talent and fresh ideas. By empowering the youth we want to grow tourism from the economic aspect and from the involvement of the youth in general. Apart from growing the economy, it helps locals to know more about their country.”

In a speech read on his behalf, secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in the Harare Metropolitan Province Tafadzwa Muguti said government was committed to youths participating in the economy through innovation.

“Part of the critical work that we have been tasked with to take our economy forward in the National Development Strategy 1, is to encourage, stimulate and promote innovation and entrepreneurship among our youths,” Muguti said.

“This will contribute towards achieving an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030 as enunciated by His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Growing the tourism economy implies innovating continuously so that new products and services can be introduced onto the market, creating new tourism economic value.”

Muguti said government was playing its role in creating an enabling ecosystem to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.”