ZTA projects increase in tourist arrivals…Calls for country to intensify hotel construction before 2020

Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) says there is a need for the country to invest in hotel construction ahead of 2020 as it projects a 46 percent increase in international tourist arrivals. ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said the tourism growth strategy aimed at increasing international tourist arrivals from 1.9 million in 2014 to over 3.5 million by 2020.

“Given the Tourism growth strategy, Zimbabwe will become underhotelled by 2020. There’s therefore a need to invest in the accommodation subsector of the tourism industry,” said Kaseke while addressing delegates during the Local Government Economic Development Forum in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

“Zimbabwe has 7,800 hotel rooms and 1,100 rooms at lodges and guest houses.” Kaseke said the country needed an additional 4,350 rooms especially in Victoria Falls, Harare, Bulawayo and the Eastern Highlands.

“In Victoria Falls we need at least 1,500 more rooms, Harare about 1,000 and Bulawayo at least 500 more rooms, In the Eastern Highlands, we need 700 more rooms, and an additional 300 rooms in Kariba are needed, Masvingo needs at least 200 more rooms and Gweru about 150 more,” said Kaseke.

The ZTA boss said the authority’s strategy was to increase tourism’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product from 11,6 percent in 2014 to 17 percent in 2020.

“The tourism growth strategy is to increase tourism receipts from $827 million in 2014 to over $3 billion by 2020,” he said. Kaseke said this was likely to create about 350,000 jobs up from 200,000 in 2013.

Meanwhile, he said there was a need to invest in ultra-modern shopping malls. “Zimbabwe has become a transit area where people from other countries pass by to either South Africa, Botswana or Zambia for shopping,” he said

“This year alone, close to 600,000 people passed through Zimbabwe to shop in other countries so there’s a need to transform Zimbabwe into a shopping destination,” he said.

Kaseke said for cities, towns and tourism resorts to offer competitive shopping opportunities to tourists, it was imperative to have such shopping malls that attract international brands.