Zimbabwe Signs MOU With Emirates To Boost Inbound Tourist Arrivals

Text by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) had a fruitful outing at this year’s Arabian Travel Market, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with aviation giant Emirates to boost inbound tourist arrivals and increase traffic into Zimbabwe utilizing the strength of the airline’s global network. The showcase ran from 1 to 4 May in Dubai and is the industry’s leading travel and tourism exhibition unlocking business potential in the Middle East.

The MoU was signed by Badr Abbas, Senior Vice President Commercial

Operations for Africa, and Winnie Munchanyuka, Chief Executive, ZTA. Also present at the signing were Lovemore Mazemo, Ambassador of Zimbabwe to the UAE, Farai Chimba, President of the Hotel Association of Zimbabwe, and General Manager, Victoria Falls Hotel.

Under the agreement, Emirates, along with the ZTA, will set in motion a range of joint marketing efforts that include tourism promotions, organizing familiarization trips for trade and media, among other activities. Both parties will explore opportunities for joint advertising campaigns in key markets. Abbas said “The MoU reflects Emirates’ confidence in the potential and attractiveness of Zimbabwe as an emerging destination that awaits exploration.

“Home to one of the natural 7 Wonders of the World, breath-taking landscapes and glorious historical sites, Emirates says it looks forward to supporting the ZTA in attracting more tourists to the country and showcasing its uniqueness and the vast array of distinctive experiences”.

“We aim to play a considerable role in raising the profile of Zimbabwe through our strong global network,” he said. “Collaboration is the key to success in tourism and only by close collaboration can that path be assured of success,” shared Muchanyuka.

“Zimbabwe is confident that once we implement the agreement, it will create a platform for a progressive increase of arrivals into the country. ZTA and Emirates will broaden engagement and awareness with smart initiatives”, she said.

Endowed with both natural and manmade attractions such as the Majestic Victoria Falls, Matopo Hills, Lake Kariba, wildlife at Hwange, Great Zimbabwe Monuments, and Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe is a sought-after destination offering leisure activities for tourists.

Emirates started operations to Zimbabwe in September 2012 with five weekly flights. It has steadily grown the route in line with increasing customer demand and operates a daily service to Harare with seven flights a week.

Since the start of its operations, Emirates has driven inbound traffic to Zimbabwe from the Middle East, points in Europe, Australia, and the USA.

Emirates airline’s codeshare partnerships with Airlink and South African Airways further provide more choice and connectivity for passengers and drive inbound visitors to domestic points in Zimbabwe like Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.