NEW TOURISM AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PROJECT IN ZIMBABWE

In January 2018, UNWTO and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of Zimbabwe launched a project whose activities link tourism development, wildlife conservation and sustainable livelihoods in Zimbabwe. The project forms part of the UNWTO/Chimelong Initiative, which advocates tourism as a path to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and particularly wildlife conservation.  

The main activities are development of new facilities for wildlife conservation and game viewing, and raising awareness on wildlife-based tourism and its potential to create sustainable livelihoods.

In March 2018 in Harare, UNWTO met with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Ministry of Environment, Zimbabwe National Parks, local government and associations to plan building and marketing of a game viewing platform, community campsite and ranger accommodation. The meeting also exchanged ideas on building the capacity of community members to develop and manage the campsite, and awareness-raising activities for tourism and biodiversity conservation.

The game viewing platform will be built within the Hwange National Park, and the community campsite and activities will be created just outside of it in the Tsholotsho district.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr. Thokozile Chitepo  (right), and UNWTO Programme Manager for Technical Cooperation, Mr. Marcel Leijzer (left) at the project Inception Meeting.

Link:

UNWTO/Chimelong Initiative on Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Tourism in Africa & Asia and the Pacific /chimelong