The United Nations General Assembly designated 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. In line with the global designation, Zimbabwe launched last week, the Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development under the theme, “Travel, Enjoy and Respect”. It is my sincere hope that this launch, albeit done mid-year, should be used as a way of bringing all stakeholders to exchange ideas to foster sound partnership to advance tourism for sustainable development and poverty eradication in Zimbabwe.

Three countries can now jointly market their tourism products online with the launch of the first joint East African destination portal, visiteastafrica.org. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO Betty Radier joined top tourism officials from Uganda and Rwanda in unveiling the platform at the Pearl of Africa Trade Expo held in Uganda at the weekend, a KTB statement issued on Sunday said.