Mandarin on the menu as Zimbabwe looks East
June 11, 2004 Edition 1
By Basildon Peta
Independent Foreign Service
Zimbabweans are to learn Chinese.
At least that is President Robert Mugabe's plan - to prepare the people for the expected influx of Chinese tourists and to strengthen ties with the Asian country.
And, as it seeks to replace Europe as a major source of tourism, the Zimbabwean government also plans to establish direct flights between Zimbabwe and China for the national airline, Air Zimbabwe.
Over the years, tourism from Europe has slumped by more than 95% because of the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe has repeatedly declared he would no longer seek economic ties with the West, which has imposed sanctions on his government, in preference to establishing stronger ties with Asia.
He has also pledged to work at helping to establish China as a superpower to counter the United States.
While many Western countries have at different stages issued travel warnings for their nationals to avoid Zimbabwe, China recently did the opposite by giving Zimbabwe so-called approved destination status (ADS). Chinese tourists are only allowed to visit countries with such a status.
So, to make Chinese visitors feel at home, Mugabe's government wants as many Zimbabweans as possible to speak Mandarin, and is putting the training programme in place.
The government-run Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said it was working with relevant ministries and training institutions around the country to start Chinese-language courses.
ZTA marketing and communications director Givemore Chidzidzi told the state run Herald newspaper that the number of Chinese tourists to Zimbabwe had already increased since the ADS deal was sealed in December, recording the highest growth in the first quarter of the year.
