Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika: Ezokuvakasha Ngaphandle Kwezithiyo Manje!

I-EAC Council of Tourism and Wildlife Ministers igunyaze maphakathi nonyaka, uMbukiso waminyaka yonke we-East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE).

I-Tanzania yakhethwa ukuba isingathe i-EARTE yokuqala enesihloko esithi "Promotion of Resilient Tourism for Inclusive Social and Economic Development." Umbukiso uvalwe ekuqaleni kwesonto eledlule.

The Ibhodi Yezokuvakasha yase-Afrika (i-ATB) ubemelwe ngumgcinisihlalo walo uMnumzana Cuthbert Ncube labanye abamele ibandla leEAC.

UMnu. Ncube wenze i-Executive Talk ngeqhaza le-ATB ekuthuthukiseni ezokuvakasha e-Afrika.

eTN: Yimuphi umbono wokuqala we-Africa Tourism Board maqondana nezokuvakasha e-Afrika?

NCUBE:  Umbono wethu oyinhloko ukuqinisekisa ukuthi i-Afrika iba “Indawo Yezokuvakasha Eyodwa” lokukhetha emhlabeni. Sigxile ekuthuthukiseni, ekukhangiseni nasekukhangiseni ezokuvakasha zase-Afrika ngezindlela ezahlukene.

Lokhu kubandakanya ukunxenxa, ukuhlanganisa izinsiza, kanye nokuba nomthelela ekwenzeni inqubomgomo ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi i-Afrika iba “Indawo Eyodwa Yokukhetha Emhlabeni.”

IBhodi (ATB) manje selisebenzisana nohulumeni base-Afrika emikhakheni eyahlukene esicabanga ukuthi ingasheshisa ukukhula kwezokuvakasha e-Afrika. Lokhu, okuhlanganisa nokususwa kwemigoqo phakathi kwamazwe ase-Afrika angama-54 ukuze kuhehwe ezokuvakasha zangaphakathi kwe-Afrika.

eTN: I-African Tourism Board iwasiza kanjani amazwe ase-Afrika ukuthi ahlomule kakhulu kwezokuvakasha?

NCUBE:   Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika lizibophezele ekusizeni ohulumeni, imboni ezimele, imiphakathi, nabanye ababambiqhaza ekukhuthazeni nasekuqhubekiseni ukukhula nokuthuthukiswa kwezokuvakasha e-Afrika.

Sisebenzisana neNhlangano Yezizwe Ezihlangene (i-UN) kanye neNhlangano Yamazwe ase-Afrika (i-AU) ukuze sifeze izifiso ze-AU Agenda 2063 kanye neziNhloso Zokuthuthukiswa Okusimeme ze-UN (SDG) zowezi-2030 ngokusebenzisa ezokuvakasha.

Lokhu kubandakanya ukwenza uphawu, ukumaketha, kanye nokukhangiswa kwe-Afrika njengendawo eyodwa yezivakashi ezimakethe zomhlaba jikelele.

Ibhodi lethu lezwekazi lezokuvakasha (i-ATB) manje selinxenxa ohulumeni base-Afrika, izinhlangano zamabhizinisi, izinhlangano ezingekho ngaphansi kukahulumeni, iNhlangano Yamazwe ase-Afrika, kanye namaqembu eNhlangano Yezizwe Ezihlangene kanye nezimbiwa zesifunda ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuhamba ngokukhululeka kwezakhamizi zase-Afrika ngaphakathi kwe-Afrika zisuka kwelinye izwe ziye kwelinye.

eTN: Yimiphi iminyakazo nezigaba zabantu i-ATB eqondise kuyo?

NCUBE:  Inhloso ukuthi abantu base-Afrika bahambe ngaphakathi kwe-Afrika, baqale ngezwe labo abahlala kulo - abantu bahambe ngaphakathi kwezwe labo njengabavakashi basekhaya, bese kuba yizifunda zezifunda, kamuva ne-Afrika yonkana. I-East African Community (EAC) isivule indlela yomkhakha wezokuvakasha wesifunda.

Singabona abantu baseKenya bevakashela iTanzania namanye amalungu e-EAC bloc, njengaseTanzania kanye nabanye. Abantu abavela kuyo yonke i-EAC Bloc bangavakashela eNtshonalanga Tanzania, Uganda, naseRwanda ukuze babone izimfene, ama-gorilla angatholakali kwamanye amalungu.

Ukwengeza, i-ATB inxusa ukuba zonke izivakashi zakwamanye amazwe zihambe kalula ukuze zifake i-visa eyodwa ukuze ziwele imingcele yezindawo zase-Afrika. Lokhu kungaheha izivakashi eziningi zakwamanye amazwe ukuthi zichithe izinsuku eziningi e-Afrika ngokuhamba kalula ukunqamula imingcele zisebenzisa i-visa eyodwa.

eTN: Ngaphandle kweNingizimu Afrika kanye ne-Arab North Africa, lenzani iBhodi ukusiza i-Sub-Saharan Africa ukuthi izuze okwengeziwe kwezokuvakasha?

NCUBE:  Sibambisene namazwe amaningana ase-Afrika ukuhlela imibukiso yezokuvakasha eqondise ezokuVakasha Kwasekhaya kanye Nezifunda. Sibe nonyaka odlule (2020), umbukiso onjalo eTanzania - i-UWANDAE Expo.

Ithimba labamele i-ATB abavela eSierra Leone, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Ethiopia, nase-Egypt babambe iqhaza ne-EARTE e-Arusha. Imikhawulo yokuhamba embhadaneni we-COVID-19 iwuthintile umsebenzi wethu, kodwa sisaqhubeka.

IBhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika njengamanje lisebenzisana neNgqungquthela Yokutshalwa Kwezimali Kwezokuvakasha Yamazwe Ngamazwe (i-ITIC) emkhankasweni wokutshala izimali ezwenikazi lonke ekuthuthukiseni ezokuvakasha e-Afrika.

Nge-ITIC, abatshalizimali abavela eBulgaria ngokubambisana nabanye abatshalizimali, bazosungula iphrojekthi yamahhotela ama-72 eNyakatho neTanzania, amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-4, phakathi kweziqiwi zezilwane zaseTarangire, eLake Manyara, eSerengeti, naseNgorongoro.

I-Tanzania ihlomule okokuqala ekutshalweni kwe-ITIC okuzothatha izintambo kusukela ngoJanuwari wonyaka ozayo wezi-2022.

Ibhodi futhi lisebenzisana nohulumeni woMbuso Wase-Eswatini futhi lisungule isu elizothuthukisa amasiko ethu ase-Afrika. Imidlalo yezamasiko kanye namagugu kuyingxenye ye-Domestic and Cultural Tourism edonsa izinkumbi zezakhamizi zasendaweni ekuthuthukisweni kwezokuVakasha Kwasekhaya.

eTN: Ngabe leli Bhodi lisiza kanjani ekuthuthukiseni lokhu? 

NCUBE:  Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika futhi linikeza izindawo ezincane kanye nababambiqhaza indlela engabizi ngqo nephumelelayo yokufinyelela ezohwebo, abezindaba, nabahambi ezimakethe zezokuvakasha ezingaba khona e-Afrika. Inhloso ukuzuza umthamo wezokuvakasha wendawo, kanye nesizinda sezokuvakasha zasekhaya nezangaphakathi kwe-Afrika ukuze kuncishiswe ukuncika kwabavakashi baseYurophu nabaseMelika.

Ukuqubuka kobhubhane lwe-COVID-19 kufundise isifundo sokuthi i-Afrika kufanele izimele kwezokuvakasha. Ukuvalwa kwezindawo kanye nemikhawulo yokuhamba eyabekwa eYurophu, e-United States, e-Asia, nakwezinye izimakethe zabavakashi okungenzeka kube nomthelela omkhulu kwezokuvakasha e-Afrika.

I-Afrika ithola izivakashi ezingaba yizigidi ezingama-62 ezivakashini zomhlaba ezingaphezu kwesigidigidi ezirekhodwa unyaka ngamunye. I-Europe ithola abavakashi abacishe babe yizigidi ezingama-600 emhlabeni jikelele.

Ibhodi lethu lezokuvakasha manje seliphusha amabhulokhi ezifunda. Kuyisinyathelo esifanele esibheke emqondweni we-ajenda yase-Afrika ukubona i-EAC njengeqembu elibambana ngezandla ngendlela ebandakanyayo nedidiyelwe kahle.

I-ATB izokwenza umbukiso eQatar Travel Mart (QTM) ozoba phakathi noNovemba. Simeme ongqongqoshe bezokuvakasha base-Afrika ukuthi babambe iqhaza, sihlose ukuheha abavakashi abaningi ukuthi bavakashele e-Afrika kanye nokuheha intuthuko yezokuvakasha zamazwe ase-Afrika.

eTN: Ibhodi lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika liwulinganise kanjani uMbukiso wokuqala wezokuvakasha wesifunda saseMpumalanga Afrika (EARTE)?

NCUBE:  Ezokuvakasha esifundeni se-EAC zithinteke kabi. UNobhala we-EAC uveze ukuthi ezokuvakasha zesifunda zehle ngamaphesenti angaba ngu-67.7 ngonyaka odlule (2020) zaya kubavakashi bamazwe ngamazwe ababalelwa ezigidini ezingu-2.25, zalahlekelwa ngamaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-4.8 emalini yezivakashi.

Isifunda se-EAC phambilini besiveze ukuthi sizoheha izivakashi eziyizigidi eziyi-14 ngo-2025 ngaphambi kokuthi ubhubhane lwe-COVID-19 lube nomthelela omubi kulo mkhuba.

Isifunda se-EAC sinamaphesenti angu-8.6 kuphela emali engenayo yezokuvakasha e-Afrika kanye namaphesenti angu-0.3 ezabelo zezokuvakasha emhlabeni.

I-Kenya ne-Tanzania ziyisibonelo esihle se-bloc yesifunda ezayo lapho izivakashi zingawela imingcele yendawo ukuze zibone bese zijabulela izinsiza ezabiwe zabavakashi.

Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika njengamanje lisebenzisana nohulumeni base-Afrika kanye nochungechunge lwezinhlangano ezinikelayo ukuze kuthuthukiswe ubudlelwano phakathi kwemiphakathi yendawo kanye nabadlali bezokuvakasha.

Azikho ezokuvakasha ngaphandle komphakathi. Imiphakathi ingamanxusa ezokuvakasha. Ukuvakasha kwethu kwezokuvakasha e-Afrika kusekelwe emiphakathini yendawo.

eTN: Ngokubuka kwe-ATB, kusho ukuthini ukubamba iqhaza kwi-EARTE yokuqala?

NCUBE: Kuyisinyathelo esifanele esibheke emqondweni we-ajenda ye-Afrika ukubona i-EAC njengeqembu elihlanganyela izandla njengeqembu eliphikisana nokuhlukaniswa kwabantu ngabanye okungeke kusiyise ndawo njengezwekazi.

Bheka, siwubonile umkhankaso kaMengameli waseTanzania, uSamia Suluhu Hassan, oyingqwele nomqali wesu lokuthuthukisa i-Afrika ngezokuvakasha. I-ATB iklomelise uMongameli Samia ngendondo ye-Continental Tourism Award 2021. Wama waqina njengoba lo mkhakha ubuyela emuva phakathi nobhubhane lwe-Covid-19.

UMongameli waseZanzibar, uDkt. Hussen Mwinyi, wethule i-EARTE yaminyaka yonke yesifunda eTanzania ukuthi ibe nokushintshana phakathi kwelungu ngalinye lezwe. Lo mbukiso wesifunda uzokube uphawula i-Afrika njengendawo eyodwa ongayikhetha, kugxilwe kumphumela wezwekazi. Kudingeka sephule imigoqo.

eTN: Ngabe i-ATB isiziqalisile izindlela zokuvuselela umkhakha wezokuvakasha ukuze ubuyele esimeni sayo?

NCUBE: Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika lisebenzisana namazwe ase-Afrika ukukhankasela ukuvuselela ezokuvakasha eMpumalanga Afrika nase-Afrika. Sisebenzisa inethiwekhi yethu yokumaketha yesifunda neyomhlaba kanye nabezindaba ukuze sikhuthaze izivakashi eziningi ukuthi zibhukhe bese zivakashela e-Afrika.

I-ATB inweba emathubeni okumaketha, ubudlelwano bomphakathi, ukutshalwa kwezimali, ukufaka uphawu, ukukhangisa, kanye nokusungula izimakethe zezokuvakasha eziyizimboni.

Ngokubambisana namalungu emboni ezimele nekahulumeni, Ibhodi Lezokuvakasha lase-Afrika lithuthukisa ukukhula okuzinzile, inani, kanye nekhwalithi yokuvakasha nokuvakasha e-Afrika.