Chronicle Editor
Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected]
Fourteen years ago, Bulawayo businesswoman Beauty Bhulu rented out her six rooms at her home to a group of businesspeople who had come for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). Today the same house is now a lodge with 30 rooms and three conference rooms.
Beauty is now the proud owner of Glen Lodge and Tours offering accommodation and conference facilities to both local and international tourists.
She said she used her own savings to expand the family house into a lodge after failing to get loans from banks as they demanded collateral.
Beauty said her conference rooms can accommodate up to 200 people.
“After raising substantial amount from renting out my rooms to ZITF guests, I decided to use the profits to convert my house into a lodge,” says Beauty.
She also added transport to her services as she noticed that her clients often needed transport to move around.
Beauty says that ZITF has been a major boost for her business as the lodge is fully booked during the ZITF week. She attributes her success to quality services saying the lodge is enjoying repeated visits, a confirmation that clients are happy with her services.
She however, said as registered businesses, they were facing competition from unregistered lodges charging less as they do not pay taxes.
“My advice to women is that everything is possible. Be a woman of virtue who follows her vision. Go with others. As women we should stop sitting at home waiting for our salaries but should start businesses to boost our incomes,” says Beauty.
Online Reporter