VOA标准英语2009年-Zimbabwe Seeks to Boost Tourism, Economy T

By Scott Bobb
Harare
19 October 2009

 
Zimbabwe is seeking to boost its tourism trade after several years of decline and wants to attract sports fans traveling to neighboring South Africa for next year's World Cup. 

Several-hundred tour operators, lodges¹ and other tourism companies gathered in Harare to showcase their businesses to buyers from Europe, Asia, America and other parts of Africa.

One of their immediate² goals was to take advantage of the estimated 400,000 sports fans due to attend the football World Cup that kicks off in eight months in neighboring South Africa.

Zimbabwe's Minister of Tourism, Walter Mzembi, says that from the start the tournament, which is being staged for the first time on African soil, was meant to be Africa's World Cup.

"The bid classifies South Africa as the only venue³ for competitive play. But for training and camping the region, the neighboring countries, are free to camp teams," he said. "And I imagine all countries including Zimbabwe are actively⁴ seized with this opportunity."

Mzembi says tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe peaked two years ago at 2.5 million, but they declined by one-third last year. He says this was due primarily to negative publicity⁶ and travel warnings about political violence during the country's national elections.

But many of the warnings have been lifted since the inauguration⁷ in February of a unity⁵ government of Zimbabwe's three major parties. Tourist arrivals picked up last year, nearing two million.

Runyararo Murandu is a marketing⁸ officer for Ngamo Safaris⁹ which packages tours to attractions such as wild game parks, Victoria Falls and the ancient ruins of Greater Zimbabwe.

Speaking in front of an exhibit made up of large tree branches at the tourism trade fair in Harare, he says business is looking up and some World Cup fans have already booked safaris with him.

"Dating back [to] when we started this exhibition there were not a lot of people like now, people exhibiting. [Now] We have international, regional people coming in and this makes for a brighter future," said Murandu.

Sally Wynn operates the Wild Zambezi web site that provides information on camping and activities in a more remote part of Zimbabwe along the northern Zambezi River.

She says the unity government brought a more positive image of the country abroad. And the introduction of the US dollar and South African Rand to replace the Zimbabwean currency ended hyperinflation and brought goods into the stores.

She says the greatest challenge now is the national park system which has suffered from a lack of funding over the past decade.

"The last few years have been quite seriously detrimental¹⁰ to the wildlife here," said Wynn. "We hope tourism will help. Because the tourism dollars will enable the national parks system to make its own money and, hopefully, be able to plow¹¹ that back into protection."

She says poaching in the parks has increased because of the economic crisis but park rangers¹² are not able to combat it effectively because of a lack of patrol vehicles and fuel.

She hopes foreign tourists and their associations can provide some outside support.

The new government has presented an emergency recovery plan to revive the Zimbabwean economy which declined by some 40 percent during the past 10 years.

Minister Mzembi says tourism is an important part of that plan because it is one of the most resilient sectors¹³ of any economy.

"I just hope that the importance that has been attached to it within the context of our short-term emergency recovery program will be commensurate with the resources that we receive because it [tourism] needs stimuli¹⁴ to get everything off the ground," he said. "But it is the low-hanging fruit. It is the catalyst¹⁵ for economic recovery."

Mzembi says the industry, which made up some six percent of Zimbabwe's gross domestic product two years ago could double to 12 percent or more in the next three years.

Tourism has joined agriculture, mining and manufacturing as one of the four pillars of the Zimbabwean economy and as a result he says it could play a major role in reviving economic productivity and creating jobs in the country.

1 lodges   

v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• But I forget, if I ever heard, where he lodges in Liverpool. 可是我记不得有没有听他说过他在利物浦的住址。 来自辞典例句
• My friend lodges in my uncle's house. 我朋友寄居在我叔叔家。 来自辞典例句

2 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

4 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

5 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

6 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

7 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

8 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

9 safaris   

n.游猎，陆路旅行（尤指在东非或中非）( safari的名词复数 )；类似游猎的假日旅行

参考例句：

• I've had too many safaris with rich dentists to listen to any more suicidal ideas. 我已经带过太多有钱牙科医生的狩猎队，我不能再听取任何自杀性建议了。 来自电影对白
• Camel diving safaris are a popular attraction in South Sinai. 骆驼的潜水之旅是南西奈一个受欢迎的景观。 来自互联网

10 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

11 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。

12 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

13 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 stimuli   

n.刺激（物）

参考例句：

• It is necessary to curtail or alter normally coexisting stimuli.必需消除或改变正常时并存的刺激。
• My sweat glands also respond to emotional stimuli.我的汗腺对情绪刺激也能产生反应。

15 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。