Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube
AS Zimbabwe is gearing up to host three big international events at the end of this month, the shortage of hotel accommodation has come under the spotlight with the Government engaging the private sector to attract investment into facilities.
The Government is pushing the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (Mice) agenda which thrives on accommodation availability.
Accommodation shortage has seen some conference participants crossing into Livingstone in Zambia to seek accommodation especially when there are bigger conferences and events.
The tourism capital Victoria Falls has close to 2 000 rooms, a situation that poses challenges during bigger conferences and events.
An additional 2 000 rooms are needed, hospitality players say.
Zimbabwe has an estimated less than 6 000 hotel rooms in total.
The shortage of accommodation in Victoria Falls has also led to some conferences being moved to Harare where available rooms are slightly better.
Already, the International Conference on Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) which Zimbabwe won the bid to host from 3 to 9 December this year has been moved to Harare because Victoria Falls has no capacity to host between 10 000 and 12 000 people that are expected to attend.
About 4 500 participants physically attended ICASA 2015 in Harare and over 8 000 attended the last physical edition in Kigali, Rwanda in 2017, making the conference a big event that needs more facilities.
From April 26 to 29 Victoria Falls will host the 6th edition of the high-level three-day continental technological and digital event, Transform Africa Summit organised by Smart Africa where more than 3 000 delegates from over 100 countries are expected to attend.
Rwanda President Paul Kagame who is chair of Smart Africa Board and President Mnangagwa, alongside other Heads of State who constitute Smart Africa Board, Ministers, international industry leaders and key players in ICT will attend the event which is being held outside Rwanda for the first time in its history.
During the same period from April 28 to 30, there will be the Victoria Falls Carnival which has the potential to attract more than 4 000 people judging by last year’s figures when it had 4 000.
In Bulawayo, from April 25 to April 29 the annual Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, which traditionally attracts thousands of people will be held.
Accommodation is generally a problem in the city during the ZITF period.
Speaking in Victoria Falls recently, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said Government is engaging the private sector as it intensifies efforts to attract investment into tourism accommodation with a view to build more hotels and lodges to cater for anticipated growth.
He said the Second Republic will continue to facilitate foreign and local direct investment riding on the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra.
“We can only see a shortage of rooms when there is demand for accommodation and we are seeing a surge in demand hence we need to have a discussion with the industry looking at the opportunities that are there of extending the number of rooms that we have and looking at the increasing number of international business conferences that are coming into Zimbabwe especially in Victoria Falls,” said Minister Ndlovu.
He said Zimbabwe is fast becoming a destination of choice for business conferences hence the need to also begin to improve product offering in a bid to avail a full package experience.
The minister said in the last three years the tourism sector had received massive investment.
“Government has to encourage private sector players to continue on the investment trajectory, said Minister Ndlovu.
“While the country is preparing to host these events, we have an uphill task to make sure we are prepared and have facilities to host them.
“So we will soon be having that discussion with executives of most of the leading hotels to see how we can close the gap.
“To me it’s more rooms and bigger conference facilities especially here in Victoria Falls.
“Some are booking accommodation across the river in Livingstone, Zambia and while it is good for our neighbours to also benefit from spin-offs, we want to absorb them in near future,” said Minister Ndlovu.
A number of new properties have been built in Victoria Falls in the last few years but all of them have far less than 100 rooms each.
The exit of Kingdom Hotel in Victoria Falls early this year was a huge setback in terms of accommodation as the facility had close to 300 rooms.
Africa Sun Limited is confident that its listing on the United States dollar denominated bourse, Victoria Falls Stock Exchange will bolster its plans to expand its facilities.
ASL chair Mr Emmanuel Fundira said the potential and demand in terms of MICE business is overwhelming.
“Where there is demand there is also an opportunity.
From a private sector point of view, we “are also looking at those opportunities and see how we can develop new products,” he said. — @ncubeleon
Online Reporter