Zimbabwe News and Travel Articles

Travelling to Zimbabwe for tourism purposes…

Posted under Travel Articles on February 19, 2010 by webmaster | 561 views

To constructively promote Tourism in Zimbabwe in the weeks leading up to the run off would prove fruitless if not slightly uninformed. Images beamed across the world this week included the president declaring aid organisations were not welcome in Zimbabwe anymore and there was news of five American and four British diplomats being detained for several hours after the confrontation at a police roadblock, during which officers slashed their tyres, seized their mobile phones and beat up a driver. This will no doubt have an adverse effect on the already very stringent travel warnings for travelling to Zimbabwe for tourism purposes. The public relations department at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority now have the unenviable task of playing that fiasco down.

Zimbabwe is in dire circumstances. Before the election a loaf of bread cost $15million Zimbabwe dollars and a loaf now costs nearly $1billion dollars (this has happened in little over a month and I don’t think the words ‘spiralling inflation’ does these figures justice).  There will be change because history has taught us that even greater Roman empires crumbled eventually and ironically Rome is where Mugabe found himself this past week attending a UN conference. When this change transpires Zimbabwe will need every form of assistance available to get back on its feet.

In terms of tourism, apart from the usual suspects such as the major hotel conglomerates and world renowned tour operators who will take a keen interest in Zimbabwe’s attractions, there will be a new niche that will predictably explode. This is called Voluntourism otherwise known as meaningful travel where participants pay operators to become part of a charitable cause. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, more than 55 million Americans have participated in a volunteer vacation, and about 100 million more are considering taking one. They experience the usual touristy escapes but also contribute to the community in which they visit. Instead of simply going on all inclusive package with three meals a day and all activities included these volunteers spend their money to go visit a place for months at a time to build schools, teach or  rehabilitate wildlife.

The one commodity Africa is unfortunately not short of is despair and projects can range from rehabilitating cheetahs, teaching in Ghana, coaching soccer in Zambia or dealing with the AIDS epidemic. There are countless other examples but very note worthy is Zimbabwe’s efforts. There are two places in Africa where one can walk with lions and both are in Zimbabwe. Not bad for a country with the world’s highest inflation rate and over 80 per cent unemployment, coupled with severe shortages of food and fuel. One reporter from The UK Independent, writes, “I had misgivings about going there, but I didn’t get so much as a hostile glance and I felt glad to be supporting the tourist industry and the Zimbabwe-based African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (Alert).”

Unfortunately (as is the case with many trends or fads in tourism) there is room for exploitation. The communities that are initially the core focus of the volunteer projects become a means to an end as scrupulous operators promote their dire circumstances as they would an island getaway. A month of voluntourism can set you back anything between $500-$2,500 per month. Ironically this excludes the majority of gap year students or volunteers who can’t afford to help even though they are willing.

As Zimbabwe’s new dawn beckons Volun-tourists wanting to jump in to pick up the pieces and make a difference should do their research and look to see who has been operating the longest. A track record of making a difference to the communities within which they operate is a good sign to look for. As always word of mouth is essential so speak to past participants. If carefully selected the volunteer project will be well worth the expense and more importantly would have made a difference and touched the lives of a down trodden people who deserve better.