THE Zanu PF government has launched a campaign to turn First Lady Grace Mugabe’s Mazowe Orphanage, primary and secondary schools and her multi-million-dollar business empire in Mashonaland province into a tourist attraction centre.
Yesterday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy minister Anastasia Ndlovu led a delegation that included Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke on a tour of the facilities in preparation for the awarding of the tourism status.
“This sector (tourism) must grow and it is up to us to think outside the box and come up with products that are not found anywhere else in the world. We need to find other products outside the usual ones that we have,” Ndlovu said.
We are very amazed by what we have seen here and we are of the conviction that this place must be given tourist attraction status,” she added.
The officials said all necessary processes would be done as soon as possible to formalise the mooted tourism status, adding that this would go a long way in lessening the negative perceptions about the country.
Kaseke described the complex as a world-class centre that deserved tourism status.
“We will make a plan so that visitors who come to Zimbabwe come to this place,” Kaseke said.
He said he had been to many countries including those in Europe where some tourism centres were far much below the standards at the Mazowe Orphanage.
The ZTA boss thanked Grace for her desire to uplift disadvantaged children.