HARARE - Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive Karikoga Kaseke says Canadian rock star Bryan Adams’ tour of Zimbabwe last week could have been “a big tourism opportunity missed.”
With the Please forgive me hitmaker jetting into the country hours before his Friday concert at the Harare International Conference (HICC), the tourism boss says the whirlwind tour could have been used to market Zimbabwe’s tourism industry as well.
“If a big artiste like that comes to Zimbabwe we should exploit such a tour for tourism purposes. These big artistes should ideally be taken to key tourist areas so that they can say some good things about us when they return to their countries,” Kaseke said.
“We hope in future we will be able to cooperate more with such promoters as Davies to bring international artistes and big acts to Zimbabwe,” he added.
While Kaseke had some misgivings about some aspects of the show, especially after failing to enter the concert venue after being told tickets were all presold, he, however, acknowledged the promoters’ capabilities in putting together a polished act.
“As I know, musical shows are a key component of cultural and arts tourism, which can be used to unite the people. But frankly, I did not like what I saw in that it was a reflection of a deeply-divided society,” he said, adding in his observation “there were very few blacks who attended the gig” as tickets were sold in a hush-hush manner.
And even though, the promoters “were in business to make money, they could have also done things differently and in a manner that reflects the country’s cultural diversity, and racial mix, thus strengthening brand Zimbabwe as well as procuring other benefits for the economy.”
Crucially, the ex-Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe chief executive lauded the concert organisers’ efforts and acumen in bringing about a well-organised show.