Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
SOME restaurants in the resort town of Victoria Falls have resorted to selling meal vouchers despite their facilities being closed to generate revenue for their redundant staff salaries during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
About three quarters of workers in the tourism industry lost their jobs while others had their salaries cut by up to 50 percent as employers seek to remain afloat in the face of cancellation of bookings by tourists.
Hotels and all tour operators closed for three months until end of June because of lack of business and turnover is expected to fall by up to 80 percent, leaving companies with no revenue to pay salaries.
Tourism operations would also take time to build as the industry is expected to go through many lean months as it recovers after the lockdown.
In a bid to cushion staff during the lockdown, some eateries are selling advance meal vouchers and will use part of the revenue to pay workers.
Popular restaurants in Victoria Falls are Three Monkeys, Shearwater Café, The Boma Dinner and Drum, Lookout Café and some takeaways. While some have chosen to remain mum, reliable sources have said many restaurants are selling meals in advance.
Three Monkeys, also encompassing Little Monkeys take away and a café at the airport, said 60 percent of money from vouchers sold will go towards staff salaries. Three Monkeys managing director Mr Ilan Wiesenbacher said the meal vouchers were already on sale and apart from local buyers, there were buyers from as far as the UK.
“The idea is to help our staff through these trying times. We intend to use 60 percent of the revenue generated to pay workers while 40 percent will cover cost of sales when we re-open. This initiative will continue for as long as our business remains closed and on lockdown,” said Mr Wiesenbacher.
He said so far the response has been positive.
“This is a very trying time for businesses not just in Victoria Falls but the world over. In times like this you are forced to employ survival methods that take into account the welfare of the staff.”
Three Monkeys opened in Vic Falls three years ago with 18 workers and can take up to 65 staffers during tourism peak seasons.
Mr Gary Archer, who is chief executive for Wild Horizons, which runs Lookout Café, said the company was in discussion with its restaurant workers.
The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe has commended industry players for cushioning workers.
“These are unusual circumstances and they call for unusual strategies for survival as most businesses are struggling to keep staff employed without cash inflows or revenue. We therefore welcome any measures possible as long as they are ethical and meant to retain staff during this period,” said HAZ Vic Falls chair, Mr Anald Musonza. — @ncubeleon
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