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Prince Mushawevato recently in Kwekwe
THE recently refurbished Golden Mile Hotel in Kwekwe, which is now under new management, has come as a major boost to the town’s hospitality industry. The joint, which is now run by Solomon Matsa, hosted this year’s belated World Tourism Day celebrations on October 7 under the theme “Tourism For All-Promoting Universal Accessibility”.
The rebranded US$7 million hotel was officially re-opened by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa last month at a colourful event at the hotel’s 1 500-seater conference facility. Latest statistics reveal that Kwekwe’s room capacity from lodges, guest houses and hotels, has risen to 300.
The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality saw it fit to host the annual tourism day celebrations in the mining town as a way of promoting the town to become a preferred destination for meetings and conferences. In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Anastancia Ndhlovu, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Walter Mzembi implored the need to implement laws that promote the creation of integrated and inclusive tourism in the country.
“If the tourism industry wants to maintain and develop quality, sustainability and competitiveness, it must support and develop tourism accessibility for all, because accessible tourism benefits everyone,” he said.
Apart from an excellent conferencing facility, the hotel now boasts of a well-stocked bar that can easily match world class standards. The bar, which is affectionately known to many as the Glass Venue due to the glass material used in its construction, is well-ventilated, refreshing and is manned by well trained staff who have a good understanding of the hospitality industry.
Travellers enroute to Harare or Bulawayo now find it prudent to pass through the place. The Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy minister Anastancia Ndhlovu spoke of the need to market the hotel.
“We want you to come up with initiatives that will help attract conferences. Government is prepared to give you all the necessary support and the hosting of this event (World Tourism Day celebrations) is one of the many ways of doing so,” she remarked. Deputy minister Ndhlovu hinted that the event will probably be held again in the same town next year.
She highlighted that her ministry is targeting to promote less heralded destinations that have potential to boost arrivals.
“It should not always be about Victoria Falls, Hwange and Kariba. We have places like Kwekwe that have a lot to offer with regards to tourism, such places need to be marketed,” she said.
According to experts, Kwekwe has many gold mines, thus offering potential for the development of mining tourism, which is an equivalent to religious tourism. Under mining tourism, the tourism ministry proposes that mines be opened to visitors in what would be called the “Mining Tourism Route”, with some former and abandoned mines being converted into tourist attractions.
Furthermore, Kwekwe also has one of the finest museums in the country, the Kwekwe National Mining Museum. The town is also home to Sikombela Detention Camp, a national monument. Sadly though, the majority of people who attended the event came from outside Kwekwe.
While national television and radio advertisements were broadcasted, the Tourism Ministry and their partners could have vigorously engaged locals through road shows in areas like Mbizo, Amaveni, Masasa and the town’s central business district (CBD).
A snap survey conducted by this publication revealed that most Kwekwe residents were not aware of the event and its importance to the town and the country at large, let alone the fact that attendance was free of charge, with top performances coming from seasoned groups like Utakataka Express and Barura Express fronted by Peter Moyo and Tendai Dembo respectively.
Those who attended only did so after accidentally bumping into the celebrations’ street procession that started in Kwekwe CBD, ending at the Golden Mile Hotel.
Online Reporter