Tourist arrivals break record

Tourist arrivals in the country hit an all time high in 2018, surpassing the 1999 record by 6 percent.

The increased arrival statistics are a result of robust marketing by industry officials, which have positioned Zimbabwe among the best destinations regionally.

Zimbabwe is also rated as a must visit destination in 2019.

The growth trajectory for 2018 at 2.6 million arrivals, surpassed the country’s baseline of 2.5 million arrivals recorded in 1999.

The Americas, the United Kingdom and Germany are the top source markets for tourists visiting the country.

Briefing the media ahead of Zimbabwe’s participation at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) that will be convened in Germany next month, the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Cde Priscah Mupfumira said that this platform will be critical to grow international arrivals.

During last year’s participation at the ITB, Zimbabwe held crucial engagements with key players from this source market, including one on luring Lufthansa Airlines back to the Harare route, with hints that negotiations on this deal are positive.

Zimbabwe is angling to tap into the US$7 billion base to establish tourism business linkages at the world’s largest tourism trade fair which attracts over 200 000 delegates to Berlin annually.