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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
ZIMBABWEANS have been encouraged to travel and explore the country’s various places of leisure with tourism service providers being urged to continue revising their pricing system for the convenience of locals.
This was said at the launch of a domestic tourism campaign, ZimBHO #IZimYami #Vakatsha that is being spearheaded by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
The campaign literally meaning Zimbabwe is lekker was launched at Carribea Bay Hotel in Kariba on Thursday evening. It is part of efforts to revive the tourism sector through encouraging locals to travel.
ZimBHO is a mainly Shona slang word casually used in everyday language across the country. The word means ‘good’ and shows common understanding. Over the years, the word has evolved from just being ‘bho’ to ‘bho zvekuti’ meaning ‘very good,’ ‘Volume bho’ and the latest being ‘bholato’ which again is slang of saying very good, ZTA explained in a statement.
After the tourism industry was hit by global lockdowns due to the Covid-19 plague, local tourism remains the only avenue available to revive the local industry up until a time when the pandemic is contained.
Launching the campaign, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said the initiative is meant to create demand for the country’s tourism products.
“Today is the first step towards creating demand of our existing tourism products and services through this domestic tourism campaign dubbed ZimBho #IzimYami #Vakatsha. This campaign is designed to focus mainly on the domestic market whose contribution to the economic growth and development is yet to be fully realised,” said Minister Ndlovu. “The campaign brand, ZimBHO, #Vakatsha, #IZimYami is premised on the word Bho, which means good, well or fine. In the tourism context, we’re saying Zimbabwe is beautiful and richly endowed thus Zim is BHO.”
Minister Ndlovu added: “The main objectives of the ZimBho campaign are to create awareness among locals of all attractions within Zimbabwe, to develop a culture of travel, increase domestic travel and contribution of domestic tourism to the economy. I want to urge locals to think of going on holiday, plan for their holidays, experience our beautiful country, visit known and less known areas and those who do not ordinarily have an interest in travel, to be interested.”
Minister Ndlovu said in support of the campaign, Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists in a bid to reduce the prices being charged on tourism products and services.
“To support this campaign, Government has exempted VAT on all tourism services for domestic tourists in a bid to reduce the prices being charged on tourism products and services. Government will continue looking at ways to make tourism affordable to the nationals and expects to see such incentives actually translating to price reductions in the sector for the benefit of the domestic market.”
He however said he was saddened by the fact that despite such efforts, the pricing by the tourism industry still remains out of reach for many locals.
“In removing the VAT, Government had hoped that there would be a corresponding reduction in the cost of hospitality institutions. I remain totally concerned that the rates charged by the hotels and lodges in Zimbabwe are still very high. I urge the industry to take stock of what is happening elsewhere, particularly in neighbouring countries and review your prices downwards,” he said.
The minister went on to give an example of most hotels’ breakfast price which he said is outrageous as it is equivalent to the price of buying a goat.
“It’s disturbing that an average breakfast costs US$25 or more in our hotels. That’s the price of a goat! Surely that cannot be justified regardless of even the much touted ‘high cost of doing business’ argument. I urge the hospitality sector to focus on volumes rather than high margins. When you talk of tourism or travelling, most always think it means travelling far and outside the country. That is not the case because, for example, a person from Bulawayo can visit places nearby like Matopos, Antelope Park, Blue Hills in Esigodini and Khami Ruins among many other places.
“I am urging all Zimbabweans to travel locally. Travel does not mean travelling far and wide only, but can mean going out in one’s neighbourhood even just on a picnic, eating out or camping out. Exposure is the best teacher,” he said.
But for the locals who generally have low disposable incomes, leisure travel can be impossible. Minister Ndlovu said he was well aware of this hence the Government is continuously engaging relevant parties with the view to improve incomes and the economy in general.
“I am aware that one of the challenges to the domestic market is the low disposable incomes vis-à-vis high prices of our tourism products. Government is also continuously engaging relevant parties with the view to improve incomes and the economy in general.
“I’m appealing to all employers to do the same as this will go a long way in increasing domestic travel. Corporates, please introduce travel as an incentive through packages that the tourism industry is ready to tailor-make for your specific requirements. We want to see people enjoying and having fun,” he said. — @mthabisi_mthire.
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