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Prince Sunduzani, Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has improved the ease of doing business as players in the sector can register their businesses with the authority within an hour of submitting the application.
Speaking during a plenary session on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ consultative workshop on the National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) in Bulawayo on Tuesday, ZTA chief executive Dr Karikoga Kaseke said it was now easy to register a company with the authority within an hour if prospective entrepreneurs meet all the necessary requirements.
“We used to be tied to the investment rules and regulations so anyone who wanted to do business in the tourism sector we had to look at the relationship between his business, ourselves and the Zimbabwe Investment Authority.
“Now that is no longer there if you want to do business in the tourism sector.
“I can rest assure you that we can register your business within one hour of submitting your application if you meet all requirements,” he said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that the Government under the new economic order, among other factors, sought to attract investors in different economic sectors and priority would be on improving the ease of doing business.
Contributing to the discussion, School of Hospitality and Tourism director Mr Innocent Nezungai urged tourism players to work with his institution in order for them to be able to train students who can provide specific needs for the industry.
“Tourism players should tell us (hotel school) beforehand what skill they need so that we can develop them.
“For example, there is a 300 room hotel to be constructed by the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Company, if we are to have that hotel at the moment, as a school, we will not have the manpower.
“So I’m saying talk to us so that we develop the required skills well in time,” he said.
The meeting, which is part of a series of similar events to be held countrywide, is meant to get input from sector stakeholders in a bid to map out a strategy for marketing the Zimbabwe brand through tourism.
At present, the country does not have a tourism sector strategy that sets concrete targets and provides a clear road map for guiding the tourism industry.
The development of the NTSS is expected to help the sector unlock its potential for growth by identifying key strategies that can be used to boost the tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy.
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