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(HERALD) Sadc rejects media portrayal of Zim

Sadc rejects media portrayal of Zim
Bulawayo Bureau

SADC ministers of tourism have rejected media portrayal of Zimbabwe as a country in anarchy, saying such reports were wide off the mark and misleading. Speaking at a meeting of Sadc ministers responsible for tourism in the resort town of Victoria Falls, the ministers challenged the media to report truthfully and expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe.

The chairperson of Sadc ministers responsible for tourism, Ms Lebohang Ntsinyi, accused the media of "holding hammers to destroy the region".

"The impression created when one reads newspapers or watches television is that there is no one coming to Zimbabwe, that the country is full of misery. Yet when I came I was surprised that the planes coming here were full. I was surprised to find a country full of activity and life," she said.

Ms Ntsinyi, who is Lesotho’s Minister of Tourism, Environment and Culture, said the media had to help Sadc "develop this beautiful country (Zimbabwe)".

"The media is a powerful tool that can be used to develop or destroy the region. We want to have a partnership with the media, we want them to walk the journey with us to promote the region because without them we cannot expose the beauty of the region," she said.

Sadc, she noted, was endowed with natural beauty and had all the facilities and infrastructure that made it an ideal tourist destination.

"Yet for all that we still have challenges that prevent us from achieving our goals. We have the mandate to improve the lives of our people and reduce poverty and tourism is one of the industries that have been identified as a vehicle for development. It therefore follows that we need a partnership with the media," said Ms Ntsinyi.

The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Cde Francis Nhema, said the ministers had been shocked by the extent of misinformation on Zimbabwe.

"Before they came, the ministers had been told that there was no one visiting Zimbabwe and yet the planes they came in were all full. They had also been told that there is no food but found it in abundance.

"For us the idea of holding this meeting in Victoria Falls was two-fold — to sell Zimbabwe as a peaceful country and Victoria Falls as a tourist destination. The reaction from the ministers confirms that we have done our job well," said Cde Nhema.

The minister also said in general, the tourism industry was showing signs of recovery.

Mr Rosario Mualeia, the Mozambican Deputy Minister of Tourism, said his country had a strong bond with Zimbabwe.

"Mozambique has always expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe and will continue to do so," he said.

Malawi’s Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, Mrs Callista Chapola-Chimombo, pledged to promote Zimbabwe in her travels.

"I never imagined what Victoria Falls looks like but now I have seen that it is a beautiful place. I will be an ambassador to promote Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls," she said.

Honourable Thandi Shongwe of Swaziland and Zambia’s permanent secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Russell Mulele expressed similar sentiments.

Labels: SADC, TOURISM, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 5:05 AM