admin
Sikhulekelani Moyo
Bulawayo Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S tourism and hospitality sector is primed to benefit from the SADC Industrialisation Week and SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in Harare.
The SADC Industrialisation Week is scheduled to start towards the end of July, while the SADC Summit is set for August.
As the country prepares to welcome scores of delegates from the region, service providers in the hospitality industry are sprucing up their facilities to ensure that quality services are provided.
The 7th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week, hosted by the Government through the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) in partnership with the SADC Secretariat and the SADC Business Council, will take place from July 28 to August 2, under the theme, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”.
The week is the largest public-private platform and consultative body for industrialisation in the SADC region.
Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe vice president Mr Kudzai Ratisai said the sector was fully geared to provide the much-deserved services to guests, with major hotels in Harare already fully booked. The sector would also be participating in the SADC Industrialisation Week, taking the unique opportunity to showcase hospitality industry products and services.
There are also opportunities to procure new business suppliers for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, accommodation, equipment, and other tools of the trade suppliers, business synergies from tour operators and refurbishments on hotels.
“As the hospitality sector, we are fully geared to give it our best in terms of product offering. Our products are in sound condition, be it the hotels where the guests shall stay and even the tours for the whole of Zimbabwe should guests want to have a glimpse of the other areas in the country at large,” he said.
“In Harare itself, we have vast areas of interest, which our visitors can see such as the Lion Park, a visit to the people’s market, Mbare tour, and city tours, among others. We can safely say all our players are ready to showcase our hospitality to the visitors.
“We have several hotels that have been and are still under refurbishment such as Hyatt Regency. We also have some hotels that have spruced up such as Cresta Lodge and others in good condition to house regional and international guests.”
Refurbishments are taking place, with the Rainbow Tourism Group having done extensive work on the Harare International Conference Centre, while other facilities such as the Hyatt Regency Harare The Meikles are also being spruced up.
The SADC Summit is expected to showcase Zimbabwe as a tourist destination. Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Barbara Rwodzi, said the refurbishments being undertaken ahead of the SADC Summit will have long-term benefits for the tourism and hospitality industry.
Online Reporter