Zim aviation industry under spotlight (newsday - Flight School)

The congress is expected to discuss issues of accessibility and pricing.Zimbabwe has in recent months seen the return of several airlines after a decade-long absence.Flight SchoolThe country’s national airline, Air Zimbabwe, has been dogged by financial challenges forcing it to suspend operations early this year.Aviation CollegesATA executive director Edward Bergman told journalists that the conference would provide foreign delegates with an opportunity to see for themselves the situation on the ground.“One of the challenges Zimbabwe has on pricing is in the area of airline access,” he said. “I think things are starting to improve as more airlines come back to Zimbabwe,” Bergaman said.“As more airlines come competition sets in and prices become more competitive. “However, it’s not only about more airlines, but the price of fuel has gone up and other factors. Air access is something that we will be discussing during this meeting and hearing experiences of other countries.”Bergaman said the conference provided an opportunity to market the African continent.Zimbabwe Tourism Authority executive director Tesa Chikaponya said the event had already been oversubscribed with over 550 delegates having confirmed their participation.She said there would be a platform to discuss how youths could take part in mainstream tourism.“We have natural resources that can benefit our youths. We need to ensure youths are empowered,” she said.Last week, Zimbabwe Council of Tourism president Glenn Stutchbury said as the host, Zimbabwe would have the opportunity to show that the country’s tourism sector continued to improve in all aspects.He said the congress would reaffirm Zimbabwe as a prime destination for the American market.Founded in 1975, ATA seeks to promote travel, tourism and transport to and within Africa, and to strengthen intra-Africa partnerships.