Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
TOURISM operators in Victoria Falls have urged the Government to ensure that the proposed Tourism and Hospitality Industry Amendment Bill empowers small businesses, simplifies licensing procedures, and channels the Tourism Fund towards tangible local infrastructure development.
These calls were made during a public hearing held over the weekend as part of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee’s nationwide engagement on the draft legislation.
The Bill aims to modernise Zimbabwe’s tourism regulatory framework, aligning it with the Constitution, the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act, and international frameworks such as the AU Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
While welcoming the Bill as progressive, stakeholders stressed that it must be refined to address operational challenges that hinder the growth of locally owned tourism enterprises.
A key concern raised was the burden of multiple licences and levies, which stakeholders said discourages participation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
“As operators, we currently require more than ten different licences. This does not encourage small players to flourish; instead, it drains the limited foreign currency we generate. We are proposing a one-stop window for all tourism fees, levies and categorisation,” said Mr Philani Moyo of the Rafting Association of Zimbabwe.
Mr Moyo also called for equal representation of operators on the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) board to promote inclusive governance. Echoing similar sentiments, Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa-Hughes, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe regional representative and chairperson of We Are Victoria Falls, said the Bill should include provisions that empower local tourism investors and ensure transparent utilisation of the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund.
“The Fund should be clearly directed towards infrastructure development. We’ve seen examples such as the Sheraton Hotel, now Rainbow Towers, which was built using tourism funds.
“We want that clarity again in this Bill. The Bill must also empower ZTA to register and regulate the fast-growing Bed and Breakfast sector to create a level playing field for all operators,” she said.
Stakeholders further recommended that the Bill establish an independent appeals committee, drawn from the ZTA board, to replace the current system where appeals are made directly to the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Others advocated for the inclusion of emerging tourism clusters such as sports tourism to diversify Zimbabwe’s tourism offering.
Mr Charles Moyo, representing Portfolio Committee chairperson Joana Mamombe, said the input gathered from across provinces would help refine the Bill before it is tabled in Parliament.
The 2025 Amendment Bill proposes to establish the ZTA and its board, create a Tourism Fund, and regulate tourist facilities and online platforms such as Airbnb, while repealing the outdated Tourism Act.
If implemented as envisioned, the Bill is expected to foster a more inclusive, digitally driven and community-anchored tourism sector that leaves no operator behind.
