On the 12th of June 2024 the sports tourism fraternity came together for the Sterling Hotels International Pairs Golf Tournament Official Launch at the Kings Kraal restaurant in Bulawayo. 2024 sees the International Pairs Zimbabwe under the brand new & exciting sponsorship of Sterling Hotels. The Hotel group has partnered International Pairs to make the 2024 tournament a bigger event that will add value to the golfing and tourism sectors, as well as the communities at the destinations where the tournament is played. In a grand show of its commitment & as a sports tourism sponsor, the Kings Kraal restaurant located in Bradfield, Bulawayo is hosting the launch.
Befittingly clad in a complete golf attire, the Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honorable Tongai Mnangagwa, representing the guest of honor Honorable Minister Barbara Rwodzi, underscored that the Ministry and the ZTA are cognizant of the need for more golf tournaments and activities which bring attention to the beauty of Zimbabwe & its numerous attractions. The deputy minister reiterated this on the backdrop of the successful Zimbabwe Open and shared that the launch celebrated the amateur golfer, encourages domestic tourism & also places Zimbabwe on the international stage. The Ministry is driving the tourism cluster through a whole government approach in which it is working hand in hand with the Ministry of Sport, Arts, Recreation and Culture. To date the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality has successfully partnered with Zimbabwe Cricket with the teams promoting the Visit Zimbabwe campaign and held a ground breaking ceremony for a world class cricket stadium in Victoria Falls led by His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa.
Sterling Hotels General Manager Mr Mutyandasvika shared that as the main sponsor they are supporting the development of sports tourism in Zimbabwe whilst simultaneously increasing brand visibility and awareness for the Sterling Group of Hotels which has presence in Harare, Bulawayo, Mvurwi and Kanyemba.
The President of the Zimbabwe Golf Association Mr Chikwanha shared that 95% of golfers are amateurs and they are the bulk who drive sports tourism arrivals and hotel bookings as they travel across the country playing golf. The Pairs International competitions will witness an estimated 4000 players competing across the country’s 40 golf courses. The Zimbabwe Open golf tournament highlighted the strong synergies between tourism and sport, it hosted 500 visitors who took up over 300 hotel rooms and significantly drove financial receipts in tourism.
