I-East African Community yethula umkhankaso omusha wezokuvakasha wangaphakathi kwesifunda

The I-East African Community (EAC) yethule i-EAC Regional and Domestic Tourism Media Campaign esungulwe ukwazisa iziza nezinsiza eziheha izivakashi kuzwelonke nesifunda, okuhloswe ngayo ukugqugquzela nokuthuthukisa uhambo lwangaphakathi kwesifunda.

Eyethulwe kuleli sonto, umkhankaso othi “Tembea Nyumbani”, noma “Vakashela Ekhaya” uhlose ukuheha izakhamizi zaseMpumalanga Afrika ukuthi zihambele emazweni azo, bese zizungeza isifunda, emzamweni wokuvuselela ezokuvakasha zasekhaya nezifunda esifundeni sase-East Africa, phakathi ubhubhane lwe-COVID-19.

Lo mkhankaso uzothatha amasonto amathathu, kusukela mhla lu-1 kuZibandlela wezi-2021. Uyingxenye yokuqaliswa kwe-EAC Tourism Marketing Strategy kanye ne-EAC Recovery Plan esekelwe Isikhungo Sokuthuthukiswa KwaseJalimane, i-GIZ.

I-EAC Ihhovisi likaNobhala lethule lo mkhankaso ekomkhulu labo eliseNyakatho neTanzania edolobheni lezivakashi i-Arusha.

Ezokuvakasha zineqhaza elikhulu emnothweni we-EAC Partners States kanye nangaphambi kobhubhane, zibe nesandla ngamaphesenti ayi-10 e-Gross Domestic Product (GDP), ama-17% amaholo athunyelwa ngaphandle kanye nama-7% ekudaleni amathuba emisebenzi.

Ubhubhane lwe-COVID-19 lubone umkhakha uthinteke kabi ngokufika kwezokuvakasha kwamanye amazwe E-East Africa yehle cishe ngamaphesenti angama-67.7, yafinyelela kwabafika ezigidini ezi-2.25 ngo-2020 uma kuqhathaniswa nezigidi ezingu-6.98 ngo-2019.

I-EAC UNobhala Jikelele uDkt. Peter Mathuki ukhuthaze abadlali bemboni ezimele yezokuvakasha ukuthi badlulisele amaphasela athengekayo kubantu baseMpumalanga Afrika ukuze babahehe ukuba basebenzise amathuba atholakalayo ngamaholidi ngesikhathi samaholide.

“Njengoba kunemali yokungenela kanye namazinga akhona manje eselulelwe kwizakhamizi ze-EAC, sekuyisikhathi sokuthi abantu baseMpumalanga Afrika bahlole amasiko ahlukene, bathathe uhambo lokuvakashela amabhishi angavamile phakathi kwamanye amathuba esiwanikeza isifunda,” kusho uDkt. Mathuki ngesikhathi kwabezindaba. kwethulwa ekomkhulu le-EAC e-Arusha phakathi naleli sonto.

UDkt Mathuki uqhube wathi I-EAC yenze i-EAC Pass ehlanganisa futhi iqinisekise ukuhlolwa kwe-COVID-19 nezitifiketi zokugoma ze-EAC Partner States ukuze kube lula ukuhamba esifundeni.

Umkhankaso we-Tembea Nyumbani wenziwa yi-EAC ngokubambisana ne-East African Tourism Platform emele amabhizinisi ezokuvakasha esifundeni sonke. 

Ngalo mkhankaso, abanikazi bamahhotela kanye nabanye abahlinzeki bezinsizakalo zezokuvakasha bayakhuthazwa ukuthi bakhuthaze amaphakheji athengekayo kwizakhamizi ze-EAC.

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uMqondisi we-EAC ophethe iMikhakha Yokukhiqiza, uMnu. Jean Baptiste Havugimana uphawule ukuthi i-EAC yenza igxathu ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi i-Single Tourist Visa yamukelwa yiwo wonke Amazwe Asebenzisana Ne-EAC.

“I-Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management emhlanganweni wawo owengeziwe owawungoNtulikazi kulo nyaka wenze isincomo sokuthi iSecretariat ibize umhlangano wezinhlaka ezahlukene ohlanganisa izinhlaka ezibalulekile ezifana nezokuVakasha nezilwane zasendle, abokufika kanye nezokuPhepha ukuze kwakhiwe uhlaka lokwethula lolu hlelo. I-Single Tourist Visa yawo wonke ama-Partner States,” kusho yena.

UMnu. Havugimana waphawula ukuthi umhlangano uzobizwa ekuqaleni kuka-2022, wengeza ngokuthi uma i-Visa yamukelwe ngokugcwele izoba lula ukuhamba kwezivakashi zakwamanye amazwe esifundeni sonke.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, Isikhulu Esiyinhloko Sezokuvakasha se-EAC, uMnu. Simon Kiarie, siphawule ukuthi i-EAC ihlela ukuthi ngemizamo enonya yezokuvakasha emazingeni esifunda nakazwelonke; isifunda sizokwazi ukwamukela izivakashi ezingaba yizigidi ezi-4 ngonyaka ozayo. 

“Ukusimama komkhakha wezokuvakasha kunyuke kakhulu futhi silindele ukuthi ngonyaka ka-2024, sizothola izivakashi ezilinganiselwa ezigidini ezingu-7 uma kuqhathaniswa nezivakashi eziyizigidi ezingu-2.25 ezaqoshwa ngo-2020”, esho.