Kudakwashe Mugari recently in St PETERSBURG, Russia
THE Zimbabwe Air Ambulance Emergency Service is a welcome development that will boost the prospects of the tourism sector, with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry set to get four helicopters.
The Second Republic will set up an efficient air ambulance system in Zimbabwe that will be manned by highly skilled medical doctors, engineers, dispatchers and pilots to reduce the number of people who are dying in road carnages.
On Saturday, President Mnangagwa walked the talk on his promise of bringing free health medical facilities to the door steps of the people when he toured an air ambulance factory in Russia and gave the nod for the company to quickly set up the programme in Zimbabwe.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who was part of the President's delegation on the tour, described the programme as a game changer in the tourism sector.
"Having the air medical helicopters will boost and improve two fundamental aspects in the tourism sector.
"We intend to operate them under Mosi Oa Tunya company in Victoria Falls, for commercial purposes, and one will remain an Air Ambulance for any emergency situation in and around the Tourism City," she said.
"We have a lot of tourists who inquire about our medical services in Victoria Falls and the surrounding wildlife areas, many of them cancel their trips due to lack of guaranteed medical care during their stay.
"Now tourists will have confidence in visiting Hwange National Park, Binga and the rest of the corridor, with the knowledge that if anything happens to them, they will be attended to in good time to save their lives, depending on the conditions."
Minister Rwodzi said the commercial ones will boost income-generation for Mosi Oa Tunya Company, which was founded in 2014 and has not been generating meaningful income for itself to develop the land it owns in Masuwe Special Economic Zone for Tourism.
"We shall be informing you about how it will be operating in due course," she said.
On the importance of the tourism indaba being hosted by Russia for the first time in Moscow, Minister Rwodzi said Russian tourists are big spenders, which is good for the industry.
"Russians are choosing Africa as their destination of choice for tourism since their experiences with the geopolitical situation in the European Union in recent times, and Zimbabwe is one of the destinations they are considering and increasingly visiting, particularly Victoria Falls, for holiday purposes, and Harare for business tourism.
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"Russian tourists are high spenders too, it is our first time to attend a Tourism Conference in Russia. So at this conference in Moscow, we want to study the market deeper, understand what Russians enjoy most when they travel to Africa, establish relationships with the tourism buyers in Russia, as well as finding more strategies for luring them to travel to Zimbabwe more," she said.
Minister Rwodzi added that air ambulances will also lure big airline companies to ply the Victoria falls route.
"Some big airlines like Fly Emirates have enough business to land in Victoria Falls, but it is impossible at the moment because we do not have a big hospital of a certain size required by its regulations as a company.
"This indicates that good and efficient medical facilities and services are needed in Victoria Falls as soon as possible," she said.
