Zimbabwe’s tourism sector hit hard by disease

What you need to know:

  • The southern Africa region remains a low risk area for the highly contagious disease that has been detected in Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia. 
  • The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said 15 buyers from Botswana had withdrawn from the World Tourism Expo set for Harare on October 16 to 17 following the reports.

Zimbabwe’s tourism sector has begun paying the price for poor communication on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa after a major continental conference was cancelled over fears that the country cannot detect the virus.

The southern Africa region remains a low risk area for the highly contagious disease that has been detected in Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

However, Zimbabwean government officials were recently quoted saying the country had no capacity to detect the virus and would need to send samples to neighbouring countries. The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said 15 buyers from Botswana had withdrawn from the World Tourism Expo set for Harare on October 16 to 17 following the reports.

“Botswana has withdrawn including the Botswana Tourism Board because of the Ebola issues,” ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said.

“There is an article saying Zimbabwe is not serious about Ebola. I don’t blame them, I blame us. “Fifteen buyers have withdrawn saying they heard that Zimbabwe is not serious about Ebola.  “So I think this is just a reckless statement from those issuing them.” 

The African Marketing Confederation has also cancelled its inaugural African Marketing Summit.