adminLeonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
TOURISM operators, mostly hotels and lodges in Victoria Falls say they are losing business as a result of the recent restrictions in the importation of fruits and vegetables, products which make the core of their menus.
The government through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce recently enacted Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, which imposes restrictions on the importation of a range of goods that are available locally. These include coffee creamers (Cremora), Camphor creams, white petroleum jellies and body creams, baked beans, potato crisps, cereals, bottled water, mayonnaise, salad cream, peanut butter, jams, maheu, canned fruits and vegetables, pizza base, yoghurts, flavoured milks, dairy juice blends, ice-creams, cultured milk and cheese.
The operators told Zimbabwe Tourism Board chairperson Mrs Chipo Mutasa and Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi that hotels and lodges are being forced by the situation to change their menus. They said this is affecting the industry since the majority of clients are foreigners.
“Hotels are under pressure to change their menus because they can’t import fruits and vegetables anymore following the banning of such imports.
This is affecting the sector since clients are mostly foreign,” said Mr Blessing Munyenyiwa, a tour operator.
Representing Zimbabwe Council for Tourism (ZCT), Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa called for an urgent address of the situation as it affects bilateral agreements in the sector.
“Hotels and lodges can’t survive without imported fruit and vegetables, which have been banned. Most foods prepared at hotels are not home-grown because of the nature of clients who are mostly foreign tourists. We appeal to ZTA and the ministry to help on the matter because even if they try to get permits, that will be time consuming,” she said.
Victoria Falls Mayor Councilor Sifiso Mpofu also raised the same issue while giving welcome remarks at a function to officially open a new lodge, Batonka Guest Lodge yesterday.
He said: “The tourism and catering sector is seized with challenges emanating from banning of importation of fruits and vegetables. We want to appeal to the government to have a relook at this policy because products used in the tourism sector are mostly not available locally. Tourism is the backbone of Victoria Falls economy and with what’s happening we’re killing it.”
Responding to the concerns, Minister Mzembi who presided on the official opening of the lodge, promised to table the issue before Cabinet.
“These are some of the consequences of pronouncements in the sector. May you prepare a report so I can present that to Cabinet because we don’t have such products as salmon, tuna fish locally,” he said.
While the move is aimed at supporting local industry, the tourism sector says it is already losing business as their clients shun local products.
Online Reporter