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Business Reporter

ZIMBABWE’s tourism sector is leveraging on the World Travel Market (WTM), which is underway in London, to grow more business.

The country is participating at the high-profile industry series conferences at WTM, a leading global event that began yesterday and ends tomorrow.

Cresta group managing director, Ms Chipo Mandela, who is part of the Zimbabwean delegation, said they have embarked on a massive refurbishment programme for their hotels across the country in anticipation of a business boom.

“We’ve seen the recent decline in the number of arrivals into Harare as well as into Zimbabwe and the region at large and by going to WTM we’re seeking to find new channels of business so that we can augment our occupancies and we can also grow the business especially in Victoria Falls where we experienced a significant wash down for groups coming mainly out of Europe,” she said.

“So, our idea is to make sure that we spread that risk by finding more business. This is so that we’re not badly affected by the wash down as a result of the series groups and we can benefit more.

“In addition, we’re proud that we have continuously refurbished our properties in Zimbabwe. Cresta Churchill was fully refurbished and relaunched early last year while Cresta Spray View in Victoria Falls is earmarked for soft refurb in 2020 in the first quarter.”

Ms Mandela said her group was confident that the ongoing investment efforts would improve their product quality and entice more clients in the coming year and beyond. She applauded the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) for co-ordinating the marketing of destination Zimbabwe.

“We hope through your efforts and through our efforts we can only win as an industry and as a country,” she said.

ZTA acting chief executive, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi, said it was encouraging to note that the tourism sector was speaking in unison.

“As ZTA we take comfort in that the industry is moving with us in whatever we’re doing and we’re consulting each other for the betterment of the tourism industry in its totality. WTM offers Zimbabwe another opportunity to showcase itself as a safe destination despite what people may be seeing on the international platform,” he said.
“We’re a progressive nation, we’re a progressive destination that has seen a lot of growth in the industry.

“We intend to use this platform to push for an upturn in our arrival numbers which in turn also boost our receipts in the sector,” said Mr Chidzidzi.

Zimbabwe has exhibited at the WTM for a record 39 times out of the 40 times that the fair has been held.
“We would like to assure anyone who is willing to travel to Zimbabwe, that we are indeed a must visit destination,” said Mr Chidzidzi.