VICE-President Kembo Mohadi has urged Zimbabweans to venture into domestic tourism and to take advantage of the recent positioning of the country as one of the top 15 post-COVID-19 best holiday destinations by an American company. BY REX MPHISA Mohadi said this during the weekend, while addressing more than 1 000 people during the official opening of Makhado Complex, a multipurpose centre 92km north west of Beitbridge. The complex was built by Top Pick, a local company owned by South African-based businessman, Erasmus Marema Nare. He said medical and community-based tourism could expand the growth of the tourism sector in Zimbabwe in line with government’s new five-year economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy One (NDS 1). “It is this investment which will create new growth nodes anchored on increased investment in diversified tourism products such as heritage tourism, medical tourism and community based tourism,” Mohadi said. “This growth should spread benefits throughout the country and I am glad we are witnessing such developments in Beitbridge. I have no doubt that setting up of rural transformative initiatives spearheaded by government will yield notable milestones towards the development of our nation,” he said. Mohadi urged players in the tourism industry to take advantage of government’s waiver of duty on accessories for tourism like safari vehicles. He said government had also increased funding to the tourism industry and small industries with a revolving fund to the tune of $500 million and a tourism guarantee facility. Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe