scenes at the Sanganai Tourism Expo Golf Tournament prize giving ceremony at Masvingo Golf Club (picture credit: Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry)
MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA in MASVINGO
Masvingo is set to become the country’s sports tourism hub, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi has revealed.
Minister Rwodzi revealed this at the Sanganai Tourism Expo Golf Tournament prize giving ceremony which was held at Masvingo Golf Club.
“Masvingo is going to be our sports tourism hub, so every year from now onwards (we will be coming here). We call it September Sports Tourism Carnival, so next year you will be told the dates and people from various provinces will converge here in Masvingo,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said the coming together or meeting of people is what tourism is all about.
“For us, it is the coming of the people that is tourism; when they come to Masvingo they will eat, they will sleep, they will drink.”
Speaking at the same prize giving ceremony, Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira said sports tourism will boost the economy of their province.
“This sports tourism will boost the economy of our province because the tourism sector is a key economic factor which can contribute to our vision for an US$8 billion economy by 2030.
“So when we have sports tourism, a lot of people will come here from all over the country and abroad, hence our businesses will boom, so this was quite a well thought programme to have sports tourism.
“So as Masvingo, we are really happy because this is a programme which promotes economic development,” said Minister Chadzamira.
Speaking earlier in the day after teeing off, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Tongai Mnangagwa said the country needs to invest in more sports facilities so as to unlock the potential of sports tourism and attract international visitors.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said sports had the potential to bring visitors from different parts of the world to Zimbabwe.
“Sports tourism can boost a lot because people will be coming from as far as India, the United States to come and spend time in Zimbabwe because of sports tourism,” said Deputy Minister Mnangagwa.
He further revealed that sports was a driver of tourism and called for the development of more facilities across the country in partnership with the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
“Yes, sport is a driver of tourism and now more facilities need to be put up across the country to stimulate sports tourism and domestic tourism.”
He said Zimbabwe could create different tourism destinations around various sporting disciplines, allowing tourists to travel across the country while participating in or watching sporting activities.
“People can go to Marondera for volleyball and you can go to another sport in Bulawayo. They go for tennis in Zvishavane but the facilities need to be there and working closely with the Ministry of Sports to have those facilities up,” said Mnangagwa.
He said the golf tournament was part of efforts to celebrate and promote sports tourism during the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo.
He also thanked the sponsors for supporting the tournament.
Businessman and philanthropist Commissioner Sternly Kondongwe, through his company Byword Motors, who was among the sponsors of the tournament, said he was pleased to support the event, which was held in his home province.
“I’m happy to be here as part of the sponsors. “My main reason why I have sponsored is because Masvingo is home; you call it Masvingo, I call it home, I belong here, I’m pleased to be part of Sanganai,” he said.
Kondongwe said the tournament had attracted a full field of 72 players, demonstrating the potential for Masvingo to host more sporting events.
“And I want everyone to enjoy golf today and the good thing is it’s full capacity, 72 players, it’s not a joke and we have nine holes here and we believe we can extend to have more tournaments,” said Commissioner Kondongwe.
He said he hoped such events would contribute to the growth of tourism in Masvingo and Zimbabwe.
The call for more sports facilities comes as Zimbabwe continues to explore sports tourism as a way of attracting visitors, increasing domestic travel and creating business opportunities for communities.
