Government Is To Blame For Tourism Failure: Maunganidze
Dr Maunganidze who was delivering a public lecture at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) on how tourism can be linking to culture said although there were no adequate financial resources, it was amazing that some tourism attraction centers were still inaccessible.
“You can not reach some of the most significant tourism centers in the country. Just recently, I tried to go to chief Sengwe – to the Gonakudzingwa area where some of our liberation war icons such as the late hero Joshua Nkomo were detained but there is no road – you can’t reach that place.
“I have noticed that a lot of resort centers are just being ignored and this has dealt a heavy blow to our tourism industry,” said Maunganidze.
He added that countries which make a good reputation have managed to do that by promoting anything unique about them.
“We are not celebrating our uniqueness the reason why we have remained behind. People in Masvingo have never been to Great Zimbabwe because such places are not well advertised and the government is also to blame for that,” he said.
Maunganidze who boasts of having visited several countries all over the world also blamed high fees charged to enter certain attraction centers as a major setback on the tourism industry.
“We are also not realistic on the fees that we are charging. I have seen that a lot of local people can not afford to visit these centers because it’s very expensive for them. I think that should be revised if we are to promote community based tourism,” he said.
GZU vice Chancellor Professor Obert Maravanyika said his university was going to introduce degree programmes that would promote Zimbabwean culture.
However, Maravanyika said at times the university lacks necessary funding to carry out research and to start up dynamic degree programmes that go in tandem with its vision.
“We appeal to the government to help us with funding. We are ready to establish programmes that reflect our culture as a people but we do not have resources,” he said.