Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube , Victoria Falls Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S tourism sector is slowly recovering from the effects of Covid-19 with the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) recently recording some positives.
Despite the adverse impact of the pandemic on global travel, which has crippled the whole industry value chain since last year, players in the sector are optimistic.
In Victoria Falls, the third quarter of 2021 has been a source of hope for the sector with back-to-back bookings as MICE business returned to boost the local economy. The same scenario is being experienced in Bulawayo and Harare.
For instance, most big hotels were almost fully booked for most of the time since September as they hosted conferences and meetings.
Bulawayo is also hosting more meetings having received a boost from the recent hosting of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
Industry experts say more than 90 percent of tourists are locals, an indication of the growth of domestic tourism.
Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe Matabeleland North chair Mr Anald Musonza says bookings are getting better.
“Bookings are getting better and we are witnessing an increase in bookings for last quarter of this year into 2022,” he said.
Mr Musonza said the industry had to adjust to the new normal as the domestic market has its unique culinary tastes that need to be taken care of.
“The industry players have to adapt menus and pricing models that address sensitivity to prices by local tourists,”he said.
Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe president, Mr Wengayi Nhau, said Covid-19 had taught the industry not to take things for granted.
“We were relaxed thinking since there are no wars in Africa, particularly in the Southern region we are safe before this invisible enemy came and destabilised arrivals,” he said.
Mr Nhau said the industry was now alert and had learnt not to all eggs in one basket.
“Victoria Falls was more than 90 percent reliant on international tourist arrivals and we have leant to diversify economies of our tourist destinations. We need to think not just outside the box but without the box”, he said.
Mr Nhau said the industry needs to develop the local market so that about 50 percent of its guests are locals.
“Most countries whose 50 percent of guests are locals, have managed to weather the storm,” said Mr Nhau.
We are Victoria Falls Initiative’ coordinator Ms Shelly Cox said both domestic and international travellers were valuable to the sustainability of tourism.
She said international arrivals might start increasing next year.
“I think that many tourism stakeholders are working on attracting locals which is a positive development to the tourism industry,” she said.
Over the years the tourism industry relied mostly on international clients with menus, room taste, etiquette and pricing skewed towards foreign clientele.
Thousands lost jobs from the sector, which used to employ more than 100 000 as tourists arrivals dropped sharply due to travel restrictins imposed by many countries to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tourism sector contributed close to 10 percent to the fiscus in 2019 as it realised about US$1,3 billion but the drop has been catastrophic.
The industry is slowly picking through promotion of domestic tourism.
Spending by domestic tourists might be low compared to international clients, but there is no doubt this has kept the industry going.
Government last year launched the Tourism Recovery Growth Strategy, which sought to provide stimulus support to the industry and promote domestic travel.
-@ncubeleon
Online Reporter