Government cracks down on illegal lodges, encourages regularisation

THE Government is cracking down on unregistered lodges and has called for operators to legalise their operations with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), warning of hefty fines for those who don’t.

Speaking in Bulawayo during public consultations on the Tourism Amendment Bill, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, said the illegal practice of running unregistered lodges was ending.

The Bill aims to strengthen destination marketing, promote tourism businesses and establish a more supportive environment for the industry to flourish.

The legislation includes hefty fines for those who do not register. In an interview, Minister Rwodzi highlighted the advantages of regularisation for both the Government and lodge operators.

The Bill aims to ensure Zimbabweans benefit from their tourism resources, aligning with the country’s constitution. It also seeks to incorporate principles of public administration and improve the ease of doing business within the tourism sector.

Public consultations are intended to gather valuable feedback to update tourism laws and address emerging challenges.

“Statistics are very important for us to know the number of facilities we have for tourism in the country because the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is the promoter of tourism and when we promote we should know how many facilities we have in terms of accommodation, and number of beds, among other facilities,” she said.

Minister Rwodzi underlined the importance of registering tourism facilities, explaining that the Government needs a clear picture of the tourism landscape. This includes understanding the variety of activities available for tourists across the country.

“We encourage anyone running a tourism facility to go and register. We know it has been quite a difficult, long process for any operator to get registered and we are trying by all means to lessen the burden as that process is our responsibility as ZTA,” said Minister Rwodzi.

To streamline the registration process, Minister Rwodzi said operators outside Harare no longer need to travel to the capital. Instead, they can visit their provincial ministry offices with the required documentation. Ministry officials will then ensure the documents reach headquarters swiftly.

“I am also sure many players in the industry do not know that there are so many advantages for them to be known by the Government that they exist. Accidents happen and if that happens we will chip in quickly, if they plan on expanding their business or need rebates, as long as they are registered, we chip in as Government,” she said.

Minister Rwodzi also laid out a plan for cluster-based promotions, with the Government aiming to promote religious tourism as a way of increasing the gross domestic product of particular regions.

“Religious tourism is a church meeting where people can go as groups and stay for a certain number of days depending on the functions they will be conducting as a church. When they are there, where do they stay, what do they eat? We want to promote that because that is adding to the Gross Domestic Product of that place,” said Minister Rwodzi.

Tourism is Zimbabwe’s third largest sector after mining and agriculture and has the potential to play a significant role in Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.