Published: 20 September 2013

Zimbabwe can expect to earn $1,5 billion in tourism receipts by 2015 following successful hosting the United Nations World Tourism Organisations conference in August this year, an official said on Thursday.

Zimbabwe in August this year co-hosted the 20th edition of the UNWTO general assembly with Zambia.

The general assembly was declared the best attended in the history of the organisation with a record 900 delegates from the media fraternity, 121 full delegates from member states, 140 delegates from all over the world, 49 foreign Ministers and 750 other delegates.

ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke told New Ziana the benefits of hosting the conference were incalculable. "On average it takes between one to two years to see the positive benefits of hosting such a big event, but however the biggest benefit is the endorsement of Zimbabwe as a safe destination.

"We expect to see the fruits of this endorsement maybe in 2015 where we anticipate receiving around 3 million tourists in international arrivals translated to $1,5billion in terms of tourism receipts," he said.

Kaseke said the endorsement had been the best so far Zimbabwe has ever had where the UNWTO had endorsed tourism.

He said the UNWTO general assembly had not left the tourism sector in the country dead but livened up instead.

- New Ziana

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