The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) will next month take part in the World Travel Market (WTM) in the United Kingdom, according to The Sunday Mail.

The market provides a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade industry to meet, network, negotiate, conduct business and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry, a local tourism official said.

ZTA marketing and communications director Givemore Chidzidzi said that the WTM is a platform for the country to showcase what it has to offer. "Going to the WTM is part of our marketing mix in the promotional strategy and there will be a stand where about 18 local companies will be exhibiting," he said.

Chidzidzi added that the tourism promotional body will exploit the grand stage characterized by numerous buyers attending the WTM to thoroughly market the country's tourism industry that is now on the recovery path following a barrage of negative publicity in Western media.

The ZTA started attending the WTM in 1981 and has never failed to attend the show owing to the invaluable experience it renders them.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2006)