THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority said it was working with relevant ministries and training institutions around the country to start training people in Chinese language.

ZTA marketing and communications director Givemore Chidzidzi said that the move was intended to ensure the country had as many local mandarin speakers as possible, in expectation of an increased inflow of Chinese tourists after the Asian country granted Zimbabwe the Approved Destination Status (ADS) .

Already, the number of Chinese tourists to Zimbabwe has increased since the ADS deal was sealed, recording the highest growth in the first quarter of the year.

"We are working with the Ministries of Higher and Tertiary Education,Environment and Tourism and various training institutions to make sure that we have local people trained to speak Chinese," he said.

He said the governments of China and Zimbabwe had also reached an agreement for the training of people not only in the mandarin language, but also in other special areas related to Chinese tourism. He said ZTA was inviting
mandarin speakers to register with it so that they could provide their services as and when required.

"We are trying to create a database of people in the country who can speak Chinese, who will possibly be required by players in the tourism industry as and when they need them. We want this to be a quick win for our industry as
we prepare for the ADS with China," he said.

Chidzidzi said ZTA had already secured people for Chinese translation,contrary to media reports that it had failed in its earlier attempt to attract mandarin speakers.

Zimbabwe's tourism industry has suffered badly in recent years from a relentless negative media campaign in Europe, the country's former key source market for tourists in opposition to the Government.

But it has began to pick up again, after the failure of the campaign to dislodge the Government, and ZTA's moves to reach out to Asia and other non-traditional tourist source markets for Zimbabwe.

China presents a huge alternative tourism market to Europe and North America for the country, hence, stepped up efforts by ZTA and other local Government and private agencies to tap into it.

This include plans by national carrier, Air Zimbabwe, to open a direct flight to China and other Asian markets, such as Bangkok.