Online Reporter
Judith Phiri
Zimpapers Business Hub
With the festive season in full swing, the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) has urged tourism players to intensify their preparations as they anticipate brisk business during this period.
It has also further emphasised the importance of establishing adequate back-up facilities, including alternative power sources, to ensure that clients experience seamless service during their travels.
December typically sees a surge in family trips to local tourist destinations, making it crucial for the industry to be well-equipped to meet the demand.
HAZ president, Mrs Emmah Kativu, who is also the Director at Coghlan Hospitality Group, said they were looking forward to brisk business during this year’s festive season.
“As HAZ, this festive season we are looking forward to high traffic to resort, or out-of-town properties spread around the country as travellers seek to discover and enjoy the various tourist attractions in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“The bookings are promising so far; the indication is that a majority of travellers will be Zimbabweans based locally and those from the diaspora. In that traffic mix, there will also be a component of foreign international tourists.”
She said operators should step up their preparations and be ready to serve festive menus, provide entertainment and leisure activities, while also ensuring that essential facilities like power backup, internet, water, health, and safety are in place for customers to enjoy their holidays.
Mrs Kativu said it was now a tradition that the festive season is known for special accommodation and activity packages from the various hospitality and tourism players.
“This year is going to be no different from the other years, and the hype is already picking up as the travelling public scrambles for space in the various establishments.”
Zimbabweans, both locally and in the diaspora, have also been urged to support local tourism and contribute significantly to the holiday season traffic. Domestic tourism also plays a key role as people spend from annual bonuses and savings to enhance the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In late October, the Domestic Tourism Festive Season campaign was launched at the Lake Harvest Sports Club in Kariba, by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), an initiative that has brought an exciting dimension to the promotion of the festive season.
The campaign helps with showcasing the various tourist attractions around the country, thereby raising awareness and creating interest which, hopefully, will translate into bookings.
Bulawayo Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) vice chairperson, Ms Sithabile Bhebhe, called on local SMEs in the tourism sector to collaborate with other sectors to ensure they provide all the essential services for their clients.
“The tourism industry relies on a value chain with various industry sectors that co-ordinate to get the tourism and hospitality products to be enjoyed.
“We are calling on Bulawayo SMEs in the tourism sector to work together with other sectors such as transport service providers, food and beverage suppliers, road safety authorities and the police, as well as with utility providers for essentials like water and power, emergency service providers, art and craft vendors, and so on; all these are critical to the successful delivery of Zimbabwe’s hospitality and tourism experience.
“In a way that makes almost everyone a tourism player,” she said.
She said it was important that sectors come together in different spaces to ensure that the festive season is enjoyable and memorable.
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is on a growth trajectory as the country continues to rediscover and re-establish itself as a destination of choice in the global tourism value chain by being easily accessible, having adequate and world-class accommodation facilities, as well as harnessing the diversified activities that cater for travellers’ different tastes.
Recently, Forbes named Zimbabwe the “World’s Best Country to Visit in 2025,” as the southern African nation stands at the threshold of what could be a transformational boom in tourism. The country was hailed for its “mosaic of rugged wild terrain and deep ancestral heritage.”
