Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has encouraged African countries to adopt tourism as a means of ensuring peace and understanding among people.
Officially opening the eighth edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganai World Tourism Expo in Harare last week, VP Mnangagwa said the tourism industry was known for building peace.
“The concept of peace through tourism suggests that tourism can act as a means to promote cultural understanding by bringing together people from different cultural backgrounds and that’s fostering peace.”
He said tourism promoted peace, alleviated poverty, improved international peace standards, preserved heritage, protected the environment and promoted sustainable development.
“I believe that this is a very positive way of looking at tourism as it highlights how the sector can enhance a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures.
“Sanganai/Hlanganai brings together people who seek to promote peace through travel,” he said.
VP Mnangagwa said tourism had seen global economies expanding.
He said Government was taking efforts to ensure that Zimbabwe fully leveraged on tourism, adequately funded tourism promotion and ensured that the image of the country was not affected by negative perceptions.
This year’s edition of Sanganai/Hlanganai was running under the theme “Promoting Peace through tourism”, which is aligned to global theme for World Tourism Day 2015 which says “Tourism and Culture, promoting peace through tourism”.
The event was attended by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Mr Karikoga Kaseke, tourism and foreign affairs ministers from different countries, participating in the tourism extravaganza.
Source: allafrica
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