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GOSPEL music star, Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, will this Easter introduce, for the first time, her 15-member choir, Healing Waters, at Montclair Resort and Casino.
The top singer, who finished the year on a high when she walked away with a Radio Zimbabwe Coca-Cola Top 5 award, has combined her star power with the top tourist destination.
Nestled in the misty mountains of Nyanga — Montclair has a history of hosting Zimbabwe’s finest artistes at the venue for its holidaying customers.
The gospel star, who is working on a double album, one gospel and another social, said the Montclair outing would enable her choir to get used to live audiences before going on a nationwide tour.
“We are working on a double album, a gospel collection with praise and worship tracks as well as hymnal songs, which we will perform live with the choir. I am confident we will dazzle them with our performances,” said Fungisai.
She said her Montclair show will not be all gospel as she intends to sample some of her social songs, which touch on “society’s day-to-day life experiences with emphasis on moral values”.
As the Easter Holidays approach, Montclair Resort and Casino is leaving no stone unturned, as it recently refreshed its look in preparation for the money-spinning period.
A visit to the hotel, which even before the renovations was still A-class, gives an impression of a First World facility. However, the director for the resort, Lewis Chasakara, says the work has just begun and there is more to come.
“The tourism industry requires continuous work of fine-tuning your product. We started refurbishing this place last year and now we have entered the second phase, which is coupled with some aggressive marketing involving celebrities and easy on the pocket payments for a stay at our hotel.
“With the current exercise, we are now more competent and confident of our product. This year we should be welcoming a growing number of guests, both business and leisure, to our resort.
“To complement improvements to the physical product, a lot of training of our staff is continuously happening, using both internal and external trainers,” said Chasakara.
In the cut-throat tourism industry, Montclair has even introduced a “stay now pay later” scheme to encourage holidaymakers to stay with them and pay for it in instalments.
But apart from all the new improvements and those that are in the pipeline, Montclair is renowned for its entertainment programme.
Every year, the tourist resort hosts several top artistes at the hotel as a way of marketing Nyanga.
Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, who is the Tourism Ambassador for the country, is now the face behind the growing Tuku Golf Tournament and Shows that take place twice a year at Montclair.
Many companies from around the country, professional and amateur golfers, celebrities, business people and lovers of the sport often converge in the serene misty mountains of Juliasdale, for the rare sporting gathering.
Chasakara, a believer in domestic tourism, said the important part was in making sure that locals embrace domestic tourism. “This country is beautiful. We know because we have travelled to all its corners, but even though, we still cannot have enough of the several wonders of this nation.
“If Fungisai and her choir, the charming forests and mountains of Nyanga, and the ambience of the golf course itself, fail to mesmerise any visitor to the place — then our food, friendly staff and world class facilities have to do the trick.”
He added: “Our people need to be educated about the beauty of Zimbabwe and its various destinations. They need to know where to go with their families for a good time and spend their hard-earned money.”
Fungisai, who is an exceptional performer, has promised a “night to remember” when she takes to the stage.
She praised management at Montclair for taking the initiative to combine sport and music, as it had the potential of seeing people travel to tourist destinations.
The Zimbabwe tourism sector has the potential to contribute significantly to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
In May last year, the country was awarded the world best tourism destination and favourite cultural destination for 2014 by the European Council on Tourism and Trade.
Online Reporter