Time to award the tourism industry

National Tourism Awards to various segments of travel, tourism and hospitality industry every year, since 2006.
The vision is to recognise high standards, service excellence and development within the tourism and hospitality industry.
ZTA head of corporate affairs Mr Sugar Chagonda confirms that December 13, is D-day. The awards will be held at Cresta Lodge in Harare. More important is the fact that the awards date — December 13, 2012 — coincides with the day the United Nations World Tourism Organisation launches the “One Billion Tourists: One billion Opportunities” Campaign. All member states of the UNWTO family are encouraged to spread the word about the campaign by hosting celebrations on this day.
“These awards are very important to us as they are meant to recognise and honour luminaries of the tourism and hospitality industry for their outstanding contribution, exceptional efforts and achievements in their respective fields during the year 2012.
“We believe the awards also encourage healthy competition among the Zimbabwean tourism stakeholder and players with the aim of promoting tourism.
“We are also taking this opportunity to acknowledge the services and duties carried out by the organisations and individuals in the industry as a whole,’’ says Mr Chagonda.
There is no doubt that over the years, competition stimulated by the awards has strengthened tourism management and upgrading of services in the whole country, as individuals and companies try to outwit each other.
Awards Categories
i.Accommodation
l Best City Hotel
l Best Resort Hotel
l Best City Lodge
l Best Resort Lodge
ii.Restaurants
l Best Hotel Based Restaurant
l Best Non-Hotel based Restaurant
l Best Ethnic Restaurant
iii. Airlines
iv. Car Hire
v. Travel Agents
vi. Tour Operators
vii. Training Institution
viii.Conferencing
ix. Individual Awards
l Tourism Manager of the year
l Tourism Image Builder of the year
l Tourism Entrepreneur of the year
x. Media
l Tourism Reporter of the year — Print
l Tourism Reporter of the year — Electronic
l Tourism Reporter of the year — Online
xi. Special Recognition Awards
l Minister’s Special Awards
l Tourism Personality of the year
Certificate and Plaque will be presented to all winners.
Proposed Themes
1. “Encouraging Service Excellence ahead of the UNWTO General Assembly 2013”
2. Capitalising on one billion opportunities in tourism
3. Taking on the panorama of one billion opportunities in tourism
Voting Process
The selection of the awardees is done through a voting process which runs for at least two months before the presentation event. Voting is closed one week before the presentation event, all forms and nominees are reconciled and the final selection of winners is then made by an adjudication committee constituted for the purpose and the decision of the committee is final and binding.
The adjudication committee is made up of Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Senior Management.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority reserves the right to change the criteria, the parameters for consideration and all other relevant provisions from time to time for selection of Awards.
The decision taken shall be at the sole discretion of the Chief Executive, ZTA Management, and Government of Zimbabwe and will be treated as final.
Voting
l The voting form and criteria will be sent to the industry in order for them to vote for themselves and their associates
l The voting form and criteria will also be published in various print media, online media, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority website and other websites to provide the public with the opportunity to vote
l A team from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority will conduct a road trip/door to door campaign to get other individuals and corporates to vote
Whoever wins, good luck. It has been quite a year!