daniel chigunwe
Fungai Lupande
Mash Central Bureau
THE Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry is addressing the requirement of at least 35 licenses for individuals operating in the tourism industry in Mashonaland Central and efforts are underway to streamline this process to facilitate the ease of doing business.
Speaking during a stakeholder consultative workshop for the Tourism Amendment Bill in Bindura, Deputy Tourism Minister Tongai Mnangagwa highlighted the obsolete nature of the current law, enacted in 1996.
He emphasised the changing trends in the socio-economic and political landscape of the country.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa underscored the constitutional changes that prioritised gender balance, transparency and accountability as pillars of good governance.
He emphasised the necessity for the development of essential capabilities in key economic sectors, such as tourism and hospitality, to achieve Vision 2030.
“The Ministry’s vision is to position Zimbabwe as a premier tourism destination by aligning laws with national goals and aspirations,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa noted that Section 13 of the Constitution provided guidelines for promoting socio-economic benefits for all Zimbabweans and emphasises balanced development between rural and urban areas.
Furthermore, the Ministry aimed to incorporate these objectives into the law to align with national development goals.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa also highlighted the rich cultural heritage and untapped potential for domestic tourism in Mashonaland Central Province.
“It is our vision to make Zimbabwe a prime tourism destination that pursues international best practices. To achieve this, absolute and perfect alignment of our laws with national goals and aspirations is paramount and critical,” he said.
“Section 13 of the Constitution provides guidelines on the promotion of socio-economic benefits for all Zimbabweans and is instructive to tourism. This section seeks to bring about a balanced development of rural and urban areas of Zimbabwe.
“Local communities should benefit from the resources in their areas thereby leaving no person and no place behind. We hope that the incorporation of these objectives in our law will meet the national development objectives,”
Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mr Timothy Maregere expressed support for the Tourism Amendment Bill.
Mr Maregere was represented by Mrs Merencia Foromani.
He emphasised the need for a legal framework that balanced economic growth, sustainability and social responsibility and underscored the importance of creating inclusive tourism value chains that benefitted local communities.
Mr Maregere said tourism clusters were dotted within the province’s districts from Mazowe to Kanyemba.
“We cannot overlook the cultural and heritage products. Bindura and Madziwa are the hubs of religious and sports tourism. All the districts have unique products,” he said.
“Our expectations are for the Bill to create a legal framework that balances economic growth, sustainability and social responsibility. We want to ensure that tourism benefits both the industry and the local community in our eight districts.
“We also want to push for the creation of tourism value chains that are inclusive of our people. We envision a situation where artists at Tengenenge, our farmers in Mazowe and our youth in Muzarabani all benefit from the tourism value chain that covers their areas.”
The Tourism Amendment Bill redefines tourists to include local visitors and enhances the management of the Tourism Fund.
This will involve making it a separate business entity with expanded administration and allocating funds from a two percent tax charged to hotels and other tourism businesses. These developments are expected to have a positive impact on the tourism industry’s contribution to the economy and ensure the protection of the environment, culture and local communities.
Online Reporter