ZIMBABWE continues to anchor tourism recovery and growth on Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), with the United Nations Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism and the SADC Summit being major highlights for this year.
Zimbabwe will host the UN Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism at the end of this month and the SADC summit in August.
The two high-profile events, among others, are expected to attract a significant number of regional and international delegates, showcasing Zimbabwe’s capabilities in hosting large-scale conferences and events.
Tourism players who spoke to ZBC News in Victoria Falls this Tuesday are alive to the growth impact of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE).
“The influx of visitors will translate to increased demand for accommodation, transportation, catering, and other tourism-related services,” said one of the tourism players.
Another added, “We are confident that by showcasing our capabilities and leveraging the upcoming events, we can position Zimbabwe as a leading destination for MICE tourism in the region and beyond.”
The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) concurred on the positive impact of MICE on tourism recovery.
“Both those events will not only attract regional audiences but international audiences and attention as well. Zimbabwe will be on the map. This will help in a lot of ways to highlight what Zimbabwe has to offer in terms of facilities, in terms of service, in terms of terms of infrastructure and tourist attractions, said HAZ President, Mr Brian Nyakutombwa.
Excellent service has been identified as key in making an indelible mark in the minds of visitors.
He added, “My encouragement to HAZ affiliated members is to ensure that we deliver excellent service we create good impressions to all the visitors. We must make sure that all the aspects of service from welcoming people to the food that is going to be saved to security issues to cleanliness of rooms and everything.”
The Transform Africa Summit, International Association of Insurance Supervisors Conferences, Junior Chamber International, Africa Public Service Day, UNWTO Media, Communication Workshop and the UN Economic Commission for Africa are some of the MICE events held in Zimbabwe over the past 18 months.
ZBC
