Africa Sun records growth

Natasha Chamba Bulawayo Bureau
LISTED hospitality group, African Sun (Pvt) Limited, says its business has been growing since last year in response to positive business sentiment under new dispensation.

The group was established in 1968 and operates a number of hotels, resorts, casinos and timeshare operations in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Managing director Mr Edwin Shangwa, told our Bulawayo Bureau that the company’s business has benefited from new tourist arrivals recorded last year on the back of renewed confidence in the wider tourism industry.

“Last year’s business occupancy was at 59 percent. One of the highest occupancy we have achieved in a very long time and we are quite happy as a company we leap-froged the 50 percent mark. Our Victoria Falls branch registered the highest occupancy,” he said.

“The company was not only helped with the new tourist arrivals registered last year but also we were helped by the coming in of the new dispensation. It brought about confidence and value in our market.”

On Tuesday last week the group donated kitchen equipment to Chinhoyi University of Technology and the Bulawayo School of Hospitality at a function that was held at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Ascot. Mr Shangwa said their company was in the process of refurbishing its hotels to meet international standards. He said the group was also rolling out a new product in Kariba and Victoria Falls mainly targeting foreigners and people with a low budget.

“What is unique about our resorts in Kariba and Victoria Falls is that we are rolling out a new product there. We are building what is called campsites, targeting people with a low budget, back packers who love to travel and foreigners who enjoy the outdoors,” he said.

Meanwhile, the company has said it was on a sound position to generate enough revenue this year to sustain its operations. In the group’s financial results for the period ended December 2018, the company said the scope for growth was high through leveraging on the recent fiscal and monetary policy announcements by Government.