Victoria Falls Targets South Korean Tourism Market Through New Partnerships

VICTORIA FALLS — The City of Victoria Falls is looking to deepen its relationship with South Korea through tourism promotion, investment and possible sister-city agreements as the resort city seeks to expand its international partnerships.

The proposals emerged during a meeting between Korean Ambassador to Zimbabwe His Excellency Jae-Kyung Park and Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Prince Thuso Moyo on Friday.

The meeting followed engagements between the Ambassador and tourism and business stakeholders in Victoria Falls, with discussions focusing on how Zimbabwe can attract a larger share of the South Korean outbound tourism market.

Ambassador Park said there was considerable room for growth, pointing to the disparity between the number of South Koreans who travel internationally and those who currently visit Zimbabwe.

He said while around 30 million South Koreans travel abroad, only about 15,000 visited Zimbabwe, highlighting the need for more aggressive destination marketing.

According to the Ambassador, Zimbabwe recorded about 1.8 million tourist arrivals last year, with approximately 300,000 visitors travelling to Victoria Falls.

Ambassador Park said South Korea and Zimbabwe could work together through tourism roadshows, promotional campaigns and government-to-government cooperation to increase awareness of Zimbabwe as a tourism destination.

He also encouraged closer cooperation between the City of Victoria Falls, central government and the Korean Embassy.

The Ambassador said Victoria Falls was particularly important to the Korean market because South Korean nationals visiting Zimbabwe commonly include the resort city on their itineraries.

For Victoria Falls, the proposed partnership extends beyond tourism promotion.

Mayor Moyo said the city was interested in establishing a sister-city relationship with a local authority in South Korea, building on existing twinning arrangements with municipalities in countries such as South Africa and Botswana.

He said such an arrangement could create opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange as Victoria Falls continues to grow as an international tourism centre.

«“We would love to have sister local authorities in Korea,” Cllr Moyo said.»

The Mayor also pointed to the arrival of international hotel brands and other investments as evidence of the city’s continued growth, saying the developments were strengthening Victoria Falls’ tourism infrastructure.

Victoria Falls Town Clerk’s Office, represented at the meeting by Finance Director Nerville Ndlovu, said partnerships with Korean cities could further strengthen economic and tourism links.

Ndlovu said the city was continuously looking for partnerships that could unlock new opportunities.

The Korean delegation included Third Secretary and Vice Consul Sungmin Hong, Consular Assistant Sarah Lee and Soo Kim, Chief Executive Officer of Hankuk Tour in Victoria Falls.

The proposed cooperation comes as Victoria Falls seeks to broaden its international tourism markets and establish partnerships that support its ambition of becoming a smart, sustainable and globally connected tourism destination.