Decentralize policy making and program implementation- Mzembi.

The Tourism minister......Walter Mzembi.

The minister of Tourism, Engineer Walter Mzembi has encouraged the government to decentralize policy making and program implementation to ensue an equal investment and equal opportunities for the people in all areas.

Speaking at the launch of the new tourism market, The Zimbabwe World of Tourism, minister Mzembi said the one stop shop must devolve from Harare to other regions so that development will not concentrate in one area.

“We believe some progress has been made in the area of investment with the establishment of the one stop investment shop but clearly more needs to be done in terms of managing of perception even in this area.”

“This activity of the one stop shop must devolve from Harare to the regions, Bulawayo included ensure a sense of equal access by investors and equal opportunities for our people.”

He said the one stop shop concept should not only be concentrated in Harare but Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and all other districts around the country.

“The activities relating to immigration, company registration need to be looked at critically and reviewed” he said.

Mzembi said another area of concern is the question of destination accessibility and connectivity as it affects the movement of investors. He said the issue of Air Zimbabwe now requires intervention.

“In 1996 Zimbabwe had 45 international carriers servicing Zimbabwe  from different international source markets, today we are down to less than 10 and the price of flights is too high.”

“It now costs US$800 to fly between Harare and Johannesburg, an amount that flies a tourist between Johannesburg and New York. Under normal circumstances can such prices promote tourism and enable us to achieve the critical mass of valuables into Zimbabwe.”

The vice president, John Landa Nkomo who was the guest of honor at the event said the new tourism brand will help in positioning and improving the image of the country which has suffered years of attack and negative publicity, chasing away tourists and investors.