Published: 16 August 2017

THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is on the verge of luring a South African investor, Cable-Way, to set up a cable car facility at Tokwe-Mukosi Dam in Chivi District to promote tourism.

ZTA chief executive officer Dr Karikoga Kaseke said the investor has asked the authority to identify between three and five sites in the country where the facility could be established and Tokwe-Mukosi Dam was better positioned to benefit from the facility that will attract tourists.

Speaking to journalists after a tour of the recently commissioned 1.8 billion cubic litre capacity dam,  Dr Keseke said the South African investor has shown interest to invest in Zimbabwe's tourism around bigger dams.

He said the investor was prepared to set up business as soon as all the modalities were done.

Dr Kaseke said it was his wish to see the investment procedures being expedited so that Tokwe-Mukosi starts generating business for local people and the country at large through tourism.

Through the $260 million Tokwe Mukosi Dam project, the ZTA boss said, there were vast investment opportunities that could turn Masvingo into an economic hub.

"The Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (Retosa) has identified an investor who can establish a cable car, which is a tourism transport activity around bigger dams in Zimbabwe.

"As ZTA, I think we will settle for Tokwe-Mukosi Dam since it is strategic and is on high ground which is ideal for the facility despite the fact that they have asked us to identify three or five sites.

"The five sites identified include; Tokwe-Mukosi Dam, Kariba Dam,Victoria Falls, Mutare Christmas Pass and Mutarazi Falls  in Manicaland," said Dr Keseke.

He said the cable car facility is a big tourism business through which a number of international tourists may come and be motivated to spend their money on other activities at dams like Tokwe-Mukosi.

"The investor has given us a timeline and I am convinced that they are serious. They have assured us that once the site has been identified within three months, they will commence the project.

"The cable car was initiated in South Africa and it is the only country with such a tourism facility in Africa and the setting up of a cable car in Zimbabwe is an opportunity for the country to enjoy vast tourism benefits from a unique activity.  This will definitely attract the whole world once we start to market the dam, we appeal to the media to assist us in this regard," Dr Kaseke said.
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