The upcoming Zim-Open Golf Event is a chance for the nation to faucet into the huge and multi-billion-dollar sports activities tourism sector, serving to to boost the expansion of the native economic system generally.
Sports activities tourism is a kind of tourism exercise that refers back to the journey expertise of the vacationer who both observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting occasion usually involving industrial and non-commercial actions of a aggressive nature, based on the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
The worldwide sports activities tourism market was valued at US$564,7 billion in 2023 and is projected to register a compound annual progress fee (CAGR) of over 10 % between 2024 and 2030.
Talking on the launch of the FBC Zim-Open Golf Event, sponsor FBC Holdings (FBCH) chief govt officer (CEO) Mr Trynos Kufazvinei acknowledged the position of the sports activities business in boosting tourism and its potential in Zimbabwe. The event itself attracts individuals from throughout the globe, creating scope for the group to companion with the distinguished sport. For this version, FBCH is sponsoring it to the tune of US$200 000.
“The Zimbabwe Open Golf event attracts prime golfers from throughout the globe, the African continent, and Zimbabwe,” mentioned Mr Kufazvinei on the launch in Harare.
“The sporting occasion performs a strategic position in driving socio-economic improvement via selling sports activities tourism and constructing worldwide relations,” he mentioned.
This yr’s version will see prime Zimbabwean golfers – siblings Scott and Kieran Vincent, and Robson Chinhoi participating within the event that shall be held at Royal Harare. Sports activities tourism is a elementary axis, producing round 10 % of the world’s expenditure on tourism, and is, based on the UNWTO, one of many fastest-growing sectors in tourism as extra vacationers are excited about sports activities actions throughout their journeys whether or not sports activities are the principle goal of journey or not.
For a rustic like Zimbabwe, sports activities tourism’s potential can’t be missed. Current occasions like internet hosting the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup qualifiers have put Harare and Bulawayo on the worldwide map, buzzing with worldwide followers.
Each home and worldwide guests have supplied a great addition to the hospitality business, showcasing Zimbabwe’s capability to stage world-class sporting occasions.
Outdoors cricket, Zimbabwe additionally affords a singular mix of sporting adventures amongst them white water rafting down the mighty Zambezi River or teeing off on a championship golf course overlooking Victoria Falls.
The Kariba Tiger Fishing Event is one other instance of the sporting actions the nation affords boosting the tourism business.
Regardless of the huge alternatives, sports activities fans have bemoaned the deplorable state of sporting infrastructure, which threatens the expansion of sports activities tourism. In golf as an example, the variety of programs has halved to only over 30, because the Nineteen Eighties.