HARARE, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday received a tourism accolade awarded by the Romania-based European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT).
The ECTT last month conferred the title of world best tourism destination and favorite cultural destination for 2014 to Zimbabwe. It also conferred the title of honorary academician to Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi as a member of the European Tourism Academy.
ECTT president Anton Caragea said the awards were in recognition of the country's efforts in promoting tourism and preserving its biodiversity, historical and cultural heritage.
Speaking after receiving the award, Mugabe said the selection of Zimbabwe for the coveted awards was testimony to its rich and unparalleled tourism products.
"The iconic physical tourist attractions which include the Victoria Falls, Eastern Highlands, Mana Pools and the exfoliated hills in Matabeleland all must have influenced the ECTT to select Zimbabwe out of 27 other nominated countries as winner of the best tourism destination," he said.
He thanked the ECTT for the awards which he said would put Zimbabwe under the global limelight, and said Zimbabwe had a rich historical and cultural heritage which he felt had not been fully exploited.
He thus called on tourism authorities to embark on aggressive marketing campaigns of the country's notable cultural and heritage sites.
Mugabe also paid tribute to Mzembi for the work he was doing in promoting tourism and said he rated him as one of his best ministers.
Tourism has in recent years risen to become Zimbabwe's third largest contributor to gross domestic product after mining and agriculture.
