In a move to enhance destination awareness and foster market visibility, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has appointed VFS Global to promote Zimbabwe as a preferred tourism destination in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, through a collaborative relationship.

The GCC region is made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

As part of the agreement, VFS Global will support ZTA to build a unique identity, promoting Zimbabwe as tourist destination by educating and spreading awareness to tour operators, travel agents, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibition (MICE) planners, as well as general travellers based in India and the GCC region.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Karikoga Kaseke, ZTA Chief Executive, on June 14 in Harare, in the presence of other dignitaries from VFS Global, travel and trade fraternity, along with members of the press.

With Zimbabwe recently openings its doors for business by undertaking initiatives to boost air connectivity and enhance investments globally, initiatives to build visibility in key markets, such as India and the GCC region are under way, evidenced by the 63% year-on-year increase in arrivals for 2017 from both locations cumulatively on a year-on-year comparison.

Commenting on the new partnership, Kaseke said: “We have not been active in the GCC region and our absence has created room for negative perceptions to prevail. However, we are now ready for this market because Zimbabwe is now open for business. Through the appointment of VFS Global as market representatives for Zimbabwe in the GCC region, we aim to increase awareness of Zimbabwe and to establish destination presence and visibility. We anticipate a rise in arrivals from the GCC region to 13 500 by 2021, as VFS Global embarks on aggressively marketing the country.

“Zimbabwe has recently targeted India as a primary market due to its potential, resulting from the rapid growing disposable incomes in the country. India is a huge market for Zimbabwe, hence the modest approach to target at least 16 000 Indian travellers by 2021. This will be done through sustainable destination marketing that will be done by VFS Global.”

Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO of VFS Global, added that, as a country endowed with rich cultural heritage, Zimbabwe was strengthening its tourism business and entering potential markets. “We are pleased to partner with ZTA to put this country, which has so much untapped tourism potential, on the world map for travellers from India and GCC, who can now experience the beautiful nation of Zimbabwe. By promoting Zimbabwe’s tourism, we can positively contribute toward the brand building and the economic development of this country.”