Chronicle Editor
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi has urged tourism players in Bulawayo to upgrade their facilities in line with global standards in order to attract more tourists.
Addressing guests and tourism operators at the launch of Festive Season Domestic Campaign-ZIMBHO for Bulawayo province on Tuesday, Minister Rwodzi said in order for tourists to spend more days in Bulawayo, its hotels, lodges and other such facilities that offer services to tourists should meet international standards.
She said there is therefore an urgent need to upgrade hotels, lodges, restaurants and tourists sites in and around the city so that tourists visiting the city spend more days enjoying its tourism products.
The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) are, through the campaign, encouraging Zimbabweans to visit the country’s tourists destinations this festive season as part of efforts to boost domestic tourism.
The campaign which is running under the theme: “Every journey leads you home”, started on November 6 and ends on January 15.
Through the campaign Dubbed #Uripi, the Tourism Ministry and ZTA are encouraging locals to sample the various tourism products offered by tourism players across the country.
Minister Rwodzi is urging Zimbabweans to prioritise exploring the scenic splendour of their country to promote domestic tourism.
“Zimbabweans including those in the diaspora, should lead in consuming local tourism products offered at the different tourists destinations across the country,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said foreigners were enjoying Zimbabwe’s tourism products which citizens could also enjoy hence the campaign.
Minister Rwodzi said Bulawayo, like other tourists destinations across the country, could see tourists spending more days than what they are doing now once tourism facilities are improved to meet international standards.
She therefore implored tourism operators to invest in the improvement of their facilities.
Minister Rwodzi said in order to entice locals to consume their products, tourism players should come up with special packages for local tourists.
Domestic tourism has been neglected over the years and there is therefore a need to go all out to promote it and we want at this juncture to commend the Tourism Ministry and ZTA for launching this campaign.
It is our hope that the tourism players will support this initiative by coming up with favourable pricing models that will make their products affordable to locals.
Online Reporter