Saturday, May 2, 2009

Transport - Iran, Zim to start airline links

Iran has expressed its willingness to establish air links with Zimbabwe to improve accessibility between the two countries, the Zimbabwe Herald reported.

The newspaper cited Iranian ambassador to Zimbabwe Rasoul Momeni as saying that the creation of air links would greatly assist in rejuvenating Zimbabwe’s flagging tourism sector.

"The importance of establishing airline links between the two countries cannot be underestimated," he was quoted as saying.

Currently, Air Zimbabwe flies to Dubai where it parks its aircraft for about 18 hours "yet Iran is only an hour away," the Herald said.

Momeni underscored his government’s desire to assist in turning around the fortunes of Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.

He told the newspaper that Iran was ready to "exchange experience and establish cooperation in the area of tourism and hospitality," adding that there would be a renewal of all tourism memoranda of understanding.

Iran, he said, would not only offer funds to Zimbabwe but it would assist with the provision of experts in various fields of tourism. The envoy, however, emphasised the need for Zimbabwe’s local tourism industry to offer quality service and reasonable rates.

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