The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority remains committed to working with relevant partners in developing the Joshua Nkomo Heritage Trails into fully-fledge tourism product, an official has said.
Speaking today at the 20th anniversary Joshua Nkomo Day Commemorations – Joshua Nkomo Legacy Walk and Umdala Wethu Dance held in Bulawayo, ZTA acting chief executive Mrs Rita Likukuma said Trails when properly packaged can benefit communities as they often lead to the heart of communities as is the case of the Joshua Nkomo Heritage Trails.
“My team is on the ground with me they have taken note of how to develop this product we will reconvene with the Trust to map a solid way forward to bring this dream to life.
“We remain committed working with other relevant partners in developing these trails until they are a fully-fledge tourism product,” she said.
Part of our role as the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is to identify and develop tourism products that have potential to enhance our product offering hence in 2018 we partnered with the Trust in launching “The Joshua Nkomo Tourism Heritage Trails”.
Heritage and Tourism Trails are routes that seek to take one on a historic journey around a particular event or a person.
Trails have become a new phenomenon not only in Africa but globally.
“As a nation we value our founding fathers for the role they played in liberating our great nation, hence our story as a nation can never be complete without their mention,” she said.
Zimbabwe was listed by a notable travel organisation, The Lonely Planet, as the number one tourism destination to visit in 2019. More than ever, she said, we are challenged to do better so that we not only maintain our position as number one, but ensure that when we start to receive the anticipated influx of domestic and international tourists we have a diverse tourism product offering.
“One of our tourism pillars as a tourism destination is “Our Rich History and Culture”.
The Joshua Nkomo Heritage Trails seek to document and provide a narrative that will enhance our rich history as a nation.
Global statistics from the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Statistical Unit and United Nations World Tourism Organisation have indicated that Heritage tourism contributes more than 40 percent to world tourism arrivals.
For the past five years the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Restoration Project Trust has hosted the Joshua Nkomo Legacy walk in commemoration of Umdala Wethu, the late Vice President, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo better known by the name “FATHER ZIMBABWE’’ due to his compassionate nature.
