Ronny Zikhali

THE Government of Zimbabwe has made efforts that rural communities also get a chance to see the stars of soccer in action in South Africa this June, a cabinet minister has said.
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Mr Walter Mzembi, said, to ensure that rural communities will not be left out of the euphoria of the first world soccer showcase on African soil, the Government had imported a number of LCD Screens to connect Zimbabweans to the World Cup through theme parks.
“There are 33 sites funded by the business sector in the country. The Government of Zimbabwe has come up with 40 other theme parks in rural areas,” he said.
The minister said although the tournament was next door it was important that Zimbabweans also get to enjoy the brand of football that would be on display at the World Cup.
Mr Mzembi said 2009 was a year of re-engagement into the international community for the tourism sector, and 2010 was the year for tourism to grow with a raft of benefits reaching a lot of people.
The 2010 Soccer World Cup opens in South Africa on 11 June with a match between the hosts and Mexico at the refurbished Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, and 32 teams will for a month battle it out for the World Cup trophy.
The minister said progress has been made in that he was now a member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
“What we need to do is to leverage this seat to get access to international markets,” he said.
He said he was also the current chairperson of Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA).
According to its official website, RETOSA is a The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a concept that brings together the 14 fascinating countries of the Southern part of Africa – Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe to offer a unique opportunity to discover the natural wonders and splendours of the region – the infinite contrasts of scenery, climate, colour, traditions and culture, the spirit of Africa.
It has two strategic goals, which are to increase the volume of inbound tourism to and within the region, and to create investment awareness for tourism development in the region.