The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has embarked on a joint partnership with Limpopo Province Tourism Board of South Africa in a bid to boost tourism between the two countries, the English-language daily Herald reported Monday.

The report quoted South Africa's senior tourist official Ronald Shingange as saying "we did not have any a collaborative effort to expose Africa as region but now we have realized the need for this because of the 2010 World Cup that is to take place in our country.

"The region needs to be exposed and certain packages unveiled to the outside world so that tourists will not only know about South Africa but other destinations in Zimbabwe," Shingange added.

Zimbabwe Council of Tourism President Paul Matamisa said: "the idea of a joint partnership is important to us for the development of the tourism sector, we are looking forward to translating this talking into working and producing the results after the talking."

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2006)