adminTHE 350-bed Mutare domiciled Mountview Hotel is set to undergo a three-phased re-branding and refurbishment exercise as it seeks to reposition its brand on the local tourism market.
Since 2009, the hospitality industry players have been struggling to spruce up their properties as cash resources become elusive.
Government, however, has obliged through legislative instruments that enable the sector to import equipment duty-free.
Mount-view Hotel director Mr Gregory Kadzura said there was urgent need to re-look the product in order to raise the hotel’s standard.
A consultant has already been engaged for the project.
“It certainly is a difficult time to reinvest but our thinking is you cannot seek to reclaim pole position in the hotel industry here in Mutare without investing in the facility and improving the standards. We resolved that our standards needed an urgent looking into and we are pulling all the stops in order to make sure at the end of the exercise, we have award winning facilities with enviable standards for our guests . . .
“Granted, we are faced with tough financial constraints as has been the case with several players in our industry, but we have made the decision to upgrade and rebrand our hotel if we expect to ride the storm and emerge victorious in the face of crunching financial crisis . .
“We were heavily laden with debt in the absence of a national stimulus to encourage spending in the tourism industry as well as the 15 percent levy on hotel occupants, but thanks largely to our partners in the banking industry, we will soon be out of the woods,” said Mr Kadzura, adding: “After the refurbishment, we are sure the standards alone will be enough to stimulate business in line with the dictates and expectations of Zim Asset while government works on the other hand to encourage spending and investment.”
Hospitality industry players are actively engaging Government for the review of the 15 percent tax that that received levied.
Mount View Hotel, a scenic seven-storey apartment hotel.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter