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Zimbabwe to host Africa Travel Association congress in 2012
Zimbabwe- /Antennes d’Afrique / - Zimbabwe’s tourism star continues to shine amid revelations that the country has again been chosen to play host to travel industry gurus next year, just a few months after it was confirmed as the venue of the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Africa Travel Association (ATA) director Edward Bergman announced in December that Zimbabwe would be the venue of the 37th annual Congress of ATA scheduled for May 2012.
“We selected Zimbabwe because it generated very strong interest from our membership as well as international tourists with interest in Africa,” Bergman told reporters in the Zimbabwean capital Harare.
The last time the ATA congress was in Zimbabwe was more than 23 years ago.
About 500 African tourism officials and experts are expected to converge in the resort town of Victoria Falls to discuss issues of mutual interest for the sector.
Zimbabwe’s Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi is expected to assume the presidency of the continental group.
ATA was established in 1975 and serves both the public and private sectors of the international travel and tourism industry with membership comprising governments, tourism authorities, airlines, resorts and tour operators among others.
Its last congress was held this year in Dakar, Senegal.
Zimbabwe and Zambia won the right to co-host the 20th Session of the 186-member UNWTO in Victoria Falls and neighbouring Livingstone in Zambia in October 2013.
Delegates to the General Assembly are drawn from the six regional commissions of the UNWTO from Africa, the Americas, East and Pacific Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.
Zimbabwe is trying to revive its tourism industry after a slump triggered by a decade-long political and economic crisis.
