Bulawayo hotels, lodges run out of booking space

Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]

MAJOR hotels and lodges in Bulawayo have run out of booking space this week as the city hosts over 4 000 delegates to the Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference, which kicks off today.

While preliminary proceedings are scheduled for Harare, with the official opening session by President Mnangagwa set for Friday, the city is already a hive of activity as advance teams and some delegates are trooping in large numbers.

This is a big moment for hotels and lodges, transport and logistics, events management, restaurants and creative sectors, which benefit immensely from the value chain.

Yesterday, the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) confirmed that major hotels and lodges were now fully booked and expressed excitement over the lucrative business opportunity.

“As HAZ, we are very excited to have this conference. It’s very good for Bulawayo. As far as we have checked, all our members’ properties, hotels, and lodges are fully booked and deposits paid,” HAZ vice president, Mr Kudzai Ratisai, said, adding: “We no longer have rooms available now.”

This year’s conference runs under the theme; “Industrialise, Modernise Towards Vision 2030,” and will focus discussions on the state of the economy and strategies for consolidating the transformative development momentum under the Second Republic.

The event comes just a month after the Cabinet adopted a roadmap towards implementation of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), the last lap towards implementation of programmes leading to the attainment of upper-middle-income status by 2030.

Key economic ministries are expected to use the party’s conference to present comprehensive reports on the implementation of Government programmes to enable delegates to take stock of progress made by the Zanu-PF Government in implementing programmes that transform people’s livelihoods.

Commenting, Bulawayo City Council business development officer, Mr Kholisani Moyo, said the City of Kings has now become a conferencing city, which is a positive move for the economy.

“It’s a new normal for Bulawayo, we are known for being an industrial hub, but again in terms of conferencing, we are coming in big, taking a large chunk from Harare, which is known for these conferences,” said Mr Moyo.

“This is exciting and I hope other organisations will see Bulawayo as the ideal place to come and do these conferences because this will stimulate economic activities in the city in terms of accommodation and visits to places of interest. That’s a good thing for our Gross Domestic Product.”

So far this year, Bulawayo has hosted big events such as the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Sanganai/Hlanganai World Tourism Expo, Mine Entra, and recently Zimbabwe Export Week, and is set to host the AfriConfex next month, among other events.

Mr Moyo said there are also some religious conferences, which are usually hosted by the city during the festive season saying all these play a critical role in improving Bulawayo’s economy.

Economist and an institutional analyst, Dr Shynet Chivasa, said the Zanu-PF conference attracts a considerable number of visitors, which leads to increased spending in the local economy.

She said attendees typically spend on accommodation, food, transportation and entertainment. This influx of cash supports local businesses and can provide a substantial boost to the Bulawayo economy.

“The need for staffing during large conferences often results in job creation. This includes direct employment opportunities for event staff and security, as well as indirect jobs in sectors such as hospitality and retail,” she said

“The overall increase in employment can help reduce local unemployment rates and provide skills development opportunities for Bulawayo residents.

“To accommodate the event, Bulawayo often invests in infrastructure improvements such as transportation systems and venue upgrades. These enhancements can have lasting benefits for the community, improving living standards and potentially attracting further investment.”

Dr Chivasa said successful conferences can raise the profile of Bulawayo, leading to sustained increases in tourism and business investment long after the event concludes. — @SikhulekelaniM1