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Business Reporter
Meikles Limited has appointed Carol White managing director of Meikles Hospitality, which operates Harare’s five-star Meikles Hotel and, in partnership with African Sun, also runs Victoria Falls Hotel.Meikles Limited chairman John Moxon said Ms White was the first female managing director to be appointed to head the hospitality division.
He said the diversified group was delighted in promoting someone who was first involved with Meikles Hotel 20 years ago, latterly being welcomed back into the hotel as sales director 18 months ago.
“We take great pleasure in this appointment and we know Ms White will lead the Meikles Hospitality team well as they reach out for increased levels of leisure and business travellers, as well as for increased levels of business in areas such as food and beverage, banqueting and conferencing, in coming months and years,” he said.
“It is our belief that the enormous potential of Zimbabwe’s business and travel and tourism sector can and will be realised within the next few years and Ms White will lead the team in taking advantage of opportunities that will flow from this development.”
Ms White was born and educated in Bulawayo, and had extensive career experience in travel and tourism, as well as in the freight and delivery sector.
She spent 15 years in the hospitality sector in Harare, at Sheraton Harare, Meikles Hotel and in the Rainbow Tourism Group. In 2000 she moved to DHL Zimbabwe, starting as commercial manager for Central Africa and then general manager for DHL Zimbabwe before being transferred to DHL Zambia, as managing director in 2006.
Ms White spent 10 years in Zambia before returning to Zimbabwe in 2016, taking up
the position of sales director of Meikles Hospitality.
“I am honoured to lead this remarkable and stimulating team and to be involved with two of the best-known names in hospitality and tourism in Africa: Meikles Hotel and The Victoria Falls Hotel. Our task is to maximise and leverage levels of business and position these hotels in a highly competitive landscape,” she said of her new position.
Ms White said Victoria Falls was now a hub and not an extension to itineraries in South Africa and with the advent of new airlines flying directly from Addis Ababa and Nairobi, this was a game changer.
“We shall work positively and in a forthright manner with all stakeholders and partners in the achievement of the goals, which will benefit not only our own business and the travel and tourism sector as a whole, but also the national economy in general,” Ms White said.
Meikles Hospitality recorded a 7 percent decline in revenue to $14,7 million owing to a decline in room occupancy and average room rates in Harare. Room occupancy and average daily rate declined 3,41 percent and 13 percent on prior year, resulting in a 20 percent fall in revenue per available room.
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