Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve
THE Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) has thrown its weight behind the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s (ZTA) ongoing compliance blitz, describing the exercise as a critical step towards deepening industry standards and entrenching service excellence.
In an industry update seen by The Chronicle, TBCZ Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr Christopher Sithole, said the council fully supports the regulatory drive, which has already resulted in several unregistered operators being either fined or shut down.
The ZTA, as the primary regulatory body mandated by the Tourism Act of 1996 [Chapter 14:20], launched the nationwide blitz to enforce compliance with registration and licensing requirements across the tourism value chain.
The move is aimed at ensuring all players, from accommodation providers to tour operators, are operating legally and meeting prescribed standards.
Mr Sithole said while the crackdown might appear aggressive, it is a necessary intervention to protect the sector’s integrity.
“TBCZ prides itself as the official voice of private sector tourism operators and calls on all operators to be up to date with their registration, licensing, and grading statuses,” he said.
He said compliance is non-negotiable, particularly as Zimbabwe positions itself as a prime investment destination and a competitive hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE).
“Notably, as a high-growth sector and with concerted effort by both Government and the private sector to elevate Zimbabwe as a prime and competitive destination for investment and MICE, compliance becomes a non-negotiable pillar for the sector,” he said.
He added that the ZTA’s exercise is designed to bring local operators in line with regional best practices.
“Lastly, as TBCZ, we believe that the exercise by ZTA is meant to deepen industry standards, entrench predictability in service excellence and credibility, and benchmark our operators against the best in the region,” he said.
Mr Sithole also urged unregistered players to regularise their operations by registering with the ZTA and joining the TBCZ, which advocates for the private sector at the policy level.
The call for compliance comes as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to boost tourist arrivals and investor confidence in the sector.
Bongani Ndlovu