Tourisits arrivals at chiremba balancing rocks in epworth, zimbabwe

The increasing popularity of monuments and heritage sites has greatly raised the need for their sustainable management. Thus, to explore the value national monuments and heritage sites have in Zimbabwe, a case study of Chiremba Balancing Rocks in Epworth was conducted in 2005. Primary data were collected through in-depth key informant interviews, a questionnaire, focus group discussions, field observations, and meetings. This was triangulated with secondary data collected from the National Museum and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ). Domestic and international tourist arrivals at the monument sharply declined over the period under review. The reasons for the decline of tourists to the Chiremba Balancing Rocks monument included the lack of public knowledge, poor marketing strategies, security concerns, and the quality of infrastructure. The paper recommends that the authorities establish a properly managed perception management program with a view to improve the arrival of tourists.