Zimbabwe’s continued reengagement efforts with the international community have seen some positive waves within the tourism business circles.
Japan’s top travel agents have responded positively to the call made by the of Environment, Tourism & Hospitality Industry Minister, Hon Prisca Mupfumira to visit Zimbabwe.
The visit is a follow up to Zimbabwe’s participation at the Japan Association Of Travel Agents leading Japanese Tour Operators are visiting Zimbabwe to sample the tourism product, culture, hospitality and the new business environment.
The group is comprised of senior officials from top travel companies in Japan that includes renowned SEICHI TRAVEL.
Meanwhile the advance team led by Mr Ko Yonao – Leader East Japan Sales Department Operations together with Mr Yashiro Watanabe – Coordinator East Japan Sales Department and Mr Toshinobu Oka – Planning Section/Manager has arrived in the country and is already engaged in high level meetings with local tour operators.
The tour that is covering Harare and Victoria Falls will also see an exchange of countries’ rich cultural experience and tourism business ideas. This will allow for the exploration of numerous diverse tourism products which are specific to the Japanese market.
Zimbabwe’s continued reengagement efforts with the international community have seen some positive waves within the tourism business circles.
Japan’s top travel agents have responded positively to the call made by the of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Hon Prisca Mupfumira to visit Zimbabwe.
The visit is a follow up to Zimbabwe’s participation at the Japan Association Of Travel Agents leading Japanese Tour Operators are visiting Zimbabwe to sample the tourism product, culture, hospitality and the new business environment.
The group is comprised of senior officials from top travel companies in Japan that includes renowned SEICHI TRAVEL.
Meanwhile the advance team led by Mr Ko Yonao – Leader East Japan Sales Department Operations together with Mr Yashiro Watanabe – Coordinator East Japan Sales Department and Mr Toshinobu Oka – Planning Section/Manager has arrived in the country and is already engaged in high level meetings with local tour operators.
The tour that is covering Harare and Victoria Falls will also see an exchange of countries’ rich cultural experience and tourism business ideas. This will allow for the exploration of numerous diverse tourism products which are specific to the Japanese market.
The move comes as it does as testimony to vigorous marketing by the state enterprise tasked to put the country on the global market as one of the best tourism destinations in the world, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
Buoyed by such an endorsement from the Asian giant, Godfrey “Chief” Koti, the ZTA Head of Corporate Affairs said such an activity compels tourism sector players to work hard and turn around the fortunes of the tourism industry.
“We are very excited as ZTA with such activity, with such confidence within the market towards our destination it means there is something that we are doing right, there is something that is happening in the country, it means that there is something worth the attention that we are getting from outside and Asia, in particular, is a market we look at as an emerging market.
“It’s a market we want to grow as much as we can and so we would like to welcome the Japanese and also thank the travel agencies that have made this particular arrangement to come to life, the Zimbabwean ones as well as the Japanese that have brought the team that has come to visit Zimbabwe,” Chief Koti said.
The veteran broadcaster and marketer added that the ZTA was spreading its tentacles to European, American, Australian and Asian and the efforts were bearing fruit as seen by the recent visit and intention to invest in the sector by the Japanese.
“We do hope that as they leave they will also be preaching the gospel of a beautiful destination called Zimbabwe. So we are very excited as a country we are very honoured and we look forward to the growth of the market through these kinds of initiatives and of course, if they go back they will obviously sell the country as much as they can to their market.
“So we are ready for the Japanese market though we would like to improve here and there but we are overly excited that they have seen it fit to come to Zimbabwe and explore this destination and all the things that it has to offer, it is indeed a world of wonders they will be quite amazed and impressed,” Chief Koti added.
