Meikles targets 50pc occupancy hike

Business Reporter

Meikles Hotel has adopted an aggressive approach targeted at raising occupancy to levels of above 50 percent this year. The group’s commercial director Tham Mpofu told journalists during a media tour that currently occupancies are sitting at mid 30 percent to 40 percent. “We would be comfortable with anything above 50 percent,” said Mr Mpofu.To ensure that occupancy levels at Meikles and in the hospitality sector in general improve, Mr Mpofu said industry, Government and players should work together.

“As a country and as an industry we need to continue to market the destination.

“We need to ensure that ourselves, and, the regulatory authority, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality that we are all working together to try and support the marketing efforts to bring tourists, visitors and investors into the country,” said Mr Mpofu.

“From our perspective at Meikles we have beefed up our marketing and sales teams. We recruited additional people so that we get more feet on the ground to ensure that we spread our reach to a wider audience.

“We also want to encourage more people to stay at Meikles including those participating at international trade shows and exhibitions in this country,” he said.

Mr Mpofu said the biggest constraints for most companies in the sector have been budgets at a national level and at corporate level.

“I think a lot of companies in our sector are also feeling the effects of depressed occupancy levels and reduced arrivals into the country,” he said.

The group has invested $9 million for the refurbishment of the hotel but occupancy levels have not yet responded positively.

“At the moment we have invested the money in doing the north wing and some of the public areas but the occupancies or arrivals have not responded accordingly,” he said.

He said what has made the problem worse is the weakening of the rand. South Africa is a major source market for local tourism.

With a weak rand and visitors coming into a destination with a stronger currency, the US dollar, presents a challenge, and Meikles has had to contend with that.

The hotel accessed the $9 million from the PAT bank for the renovations.