Zimbabwe is seeking sustainable tourist markets as the country has witnessed a major increase of tourist arrivals in the first half of this year.

"Regional packages and holiday packages sealed this year must be lasting ones that will take the region to a different level in the tourism world," Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Chairman S. Munyeza said Thursday in his welcome statement at the Zimbabwe International Travel Expo under the theme "Establishing Lasting Relations in Africa's Paradise."

The Expo, the premier of its kind in the country, began in Harare on Thursday with at least 300 buyers from 34 countries including Australia, France, Germany and China, compared to 146 from only 18 countries last year. The number of exhibitors has increased to 106 from 83 in 2005, according to statistics from the ZTA.

Zimbabwe's tourism sector realized a 33 percent increase in tourist arrivals in the first half of this year with 1,019,814 visitors, compared with 767,230 over the corresponding period last year.

The industry is slowly coming out of the woods with Asia, Africa and America all experiencing average growth rates of over 25 percent and Europe being the only market experiencing a declining of 13 percent during the period under review.

The Asian market where Zimbabwe has made substantial marketing and promotional investments experienced the highest growth rate, a75 percent increase in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

The African market increased by 36 percent and the major contributors were South Africa, Malawi and Zambia.

The tourism industry in Zimbabwe had suffered setbacks as relations between Zimbabwe and western countries, particularly the United States and Britain, soured when the government embarked on the land reform program in 2000 to rectify colonial imbalances.