Zimbabwe: Brazilians Sample Local Tourist Resorts

Jul 20, 2010

By www.herald.co.zw

A four man team delegation from Brazil is in the country sampling tourism products and has pledged to promote Zimbabwe back home after falling in love with local hospitality. The team led by professional hunter Jorge Hallak comprises Joe Da Silva, David Chance and Editora Abril and SA journalist Lillian Vidigal Hastings.

The visiting Brazilians will be in the country for 18 days for sport hunting and came at the invitation of Hallak who fell in love with the array exquisite of sport hunting in Zimbabwe in the 1990s.

Hallak who first visited Zimbabwe in 1996 and was charmed by the variety of animals available for sport hunting in the country pledged to continue preaching the good news he witnessed first hand.

He pledged to promote the country in Brazil and with the South American country experiencing sustained economic and per capita growth more Brazilians are finding time and resources to visit other countries.

Unfortunately, in most of the expeditions to southern Africa they have ended in South Africa because of that country's prowess in marketing its tourism although Zimbabwe has even better attractions.

Hallak said it was gratifying to do sport hunting in Zimbabwe especially in areas that have Community Areas Management Programmes for Indigenous Resources, which improve the livelihood for the poor. "The country has wonderful professional hunters and associations of professional hunters as well as good guides and wildlife. Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in Africa that can do sport hunting because of the resources that God gave them," said Mr Hallak.

He said the country had wonderful wildlife management and conservation systems and it was heartening to note a lot of proceeds from Campfire wildlife projects uplifted local communities.

"It is safe here, it (Campfire) is sustainable and doing well. It also nice that it is safe here, the country is nice, the people are nice and friendly.

"It is not what many people think or say and this we want to show in Brazil," sad Hastings. Hastings works for reputable media company Editora Abril SA, one of the biggest publishing and broadcasting companies in the Americas, which produces popular wildlife programme National Geographic.

She will publish photos and editorial of the delegation's experiences in Zimbabwe for distribution in Brazil and other parts of the world.

Hallak said the Government must vigorously promote its world-class tourist attractions and should start selling the products at embassies of the respective countries from where it in intends to woo visitors.

He said thousands of Brazilians made trips to southern Africa and ended at tourist attractions such as the Krugger National Park, which is often crammed with visitors yet Zimbabwe has better products.

"In the Kruger National Park you have six or seven Land Rovers lining up to go and see a single lion. I would not like that. In Zimbabwe you have so many areas to see such wildlife," said Hallak.

He has visited countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, but says has never seen things he saw here. Hallak described the majestic Victoria Falls as the touch of God.

He savours hunting the buffalo and most of the big cats and Zimbabwe provides all that and more in limitless numbers.

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