New travel company for Zimbabwe

A NEW travel company hopes to become a major player in Zimbabwe’s tourism industry. The recently launched Arena Travel and Tours, reports the daily Herald newspaper, is the result of a merger of two major travel agents, Barnfords Travel and Tours and the Travel Company. The new company has decided to position itself as a travel management company. Zimbabwe tourism minister Francis Nhema is cited by the report as having commended the company, saying its formation comes at a time when some operators were closing due to the “continued negative media onslaught on Zimbabwe worldwide”. Nhema sees the opening of Arena as a “clear vote of confidence in the future of the tourism industry”. (Natalia Thomson)