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L To R : Hon Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Eng. Walter Mzembi, Africom CEO, K Kashangura, professional golfer Tongoona Charamba and Sunshine Tour Commissioner, Gareth Tindal at the re-launch.

“I am touched to be invited to be part of this great occasion as the Minister of Tourism. I can assure you that I will not attempt to steal the thunder from all that have made this occasion possible but simply compliment the efforts and energy that have been expended to re-launch of this tournament a success that it is and will be. Ladies and gentlemen, as Ministry of Tourism, we are aware that Golf tourism takes the first place in the world among special kinds of tourism in terms of revenue generation.

We are informed that in the treasury of USA for instance, golf tourism brings in excess of USD60 billion annually. It is no wonder that the majority of countries worldwide are focusing on the tourist economy, for example, Arab Emirates, Argentina, Vietnam, Kenya, Turkey among others, are giving priority to the development of golfing infrastructure. As of today, Abu-Dhabi Emirate is paying more and more attention to golf tourism with over $17,5 billion set aside for this purpose. So,why not Zimbabwe?

The world over, generally, golf attracts affluent, high-value-adding tourists who generate significantly above-average per capita revenues for the destinations they frequent. Golf tourists can be broken down into three basic categories:
• tourists who go on holiday principally to play golf;
• tourists who play some golf as a secondary activity whilst on a holiday or business trip; and
• those who attend tournaments as spectators.
It is difficult to isolate the full extent and impact of golf tourism, since trips which include golfing or attending tournaments may very well encompass other activities such as conventions, corporate meetings, incentives, or other leisure activities such as cruising or safari.
The growth of golf tourism depends to a large extent on increases in the number of players, and on the availability of golfing facilities. The principal market for dedicated golf tours has been ‘regular’ golfers, who play at least eight to twelve times a year. At the same time, the number of ‘occasional’ golfers is growing virtually worldwide, providing the opportunity for tour operators and resorts to offer golf as an add-on feature to holidays as well as other events. The competition for golfing tourists is heating up as more and more destinations join the fray. Well-established golfing tourism regions include Florida, California, Scotland, Ireland and Spain, where the number of courses should double in the coming years. Countries such as Mexico, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia and even China, Kenya, South Africa are the fastest emerging golf destinations. So, why not Zimbabwe!

Zimbabwe has world renowned golfers and administrators who can be used as brand ambassadors in Nick Price, Mark McNulty, Tony Johnstone, Marc Cayeux, Brendon de Jonge, Tongo Charamba to name but a few, who can positively market the country’s golfing potential.

Zimbabwe, as a destination, meets seven golf tourism essentials or pre-requisites, and these are:
• Good golf courses;
• Access and transport;
• Accommodation range;
• Cuisine;
• Daytime activities;
• Night time activities; and
• Tourism services.

In addition to the above, Zimbabwe is also bestowed with:
• Good climate which permit golfing throughout the year;
• Warm and friendly people; and
• Low crime rate.
Be that as it may, the country’s tourism sector has not fully benefited from the fact that Zimbabwe is known for having a good number of championship golf courses. Therefore, Tourism packages can and should be designed on thematic and at spatial levels and around golf tournaments to attract golfing tourists. As a relevant Ministry, we are convinced that, given the requisite support, golf is a quick win intervention for Zimbabwe’s tourism sector in the short term and the future.

Therefore, you have our full support in this and many more tournaments to come.

Good luck. I thank you.”

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