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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

TOURISM operators in the Dete area of Hwange District have begun an evaluation exercise for all tourism and hospitality facilities in the region, as part of efforts to establish the area as a destination of choice.

Hwange is often overshadowed by Victoria Falls, which boasts the iconic Rainforest, luxury hotels, game parks, and various other activities.

However, operators in Hwange believe the resort city is merely the gateway to the region, with the true destination being Hwange itself, home to Hwange National Park, one of the top three game parks in Southern Africa.

Hwange National Park

The operators, under the umbrella of the Association for Tourism Operators Hwange, recently gathered at Gwango Heritage Resort to discuss several issues affecting the sector.

Speaking after the stakeholders’ meeting, chairperson Mrs Elisabeth Valerio stated that while the sector appreciated government incentives, such as the duty-free importation of service vehicles, there were concerns regarding challenges like multiple licences and Value Added Tax (VAT).

She emphasised that safari and hospitality operators were focused on working together rather than competing with each other, aiming to promote Hwange as a destination, drawing on global trends where properties collaborate to market the destination collectively.

Mrs Valerio highlighted the need to improve both air and road accessibility to Hwange, as well as expand accommodation capacity. Hwange is home to Hwange Airport and a variety of lodges, including Hwange Safari Lodge, Gwango, Ganda Lodge, Khulu Lodge, Tree Top, Main Camp, and others.

“We’re not thinking about competition; we need to start thinking about promoting Hwange as a brand because there is plenty of business and abundant tourism potential. Hwange should be recognised as the place to go,” she said.

“Each brand is unique, and we are all here, ready to host visitors. The key is bringing them here to Dete.
“We now have a platform for that called the Association for Tourism Operators in Hwange, and we’ve been discussing how to promote Hwange products and attract visitors.”

Mrs Valerio emphasised that every stakeholder has a role to play in ensuring tourists enjoy a unique experience during their stay.

She noted that one of the key achievements of the Hwange operators so far has been bringing everyone together to collaborate.

“Hwange is sometimes overlooked in tourism discussions, yet it has a wealth of infrastructure,” she remarked.

“We are currently in the process of taking an inventory of properties and beds to assess how many people visit Hwange and Dete, where we have one of the largest national parks.”

She added that efforts are underway to attract more flights to Hwange.

“We need to elevate Hwange, as the reality is that people often pass through Victoria Falls on their way to Hwange, which is just a brief stopover as it serves as the gateway,” Mrs Valerio added.

She also mentioned that while the duty-free vehicles scheme was a positive step, only those affiliated with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority benefit from it.

Mrs Valerio called for a centralised licensing system to avoid the burden of multiple licences. — @ncubeleon.