HAZ says Zim tourism has recovered from Covid-19 hit

The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) says Zimbabwe’s tourism industry has rebounded from the lull caused by measures taken by countries across the globe to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-19 disease.

HAZ attributed the recovery to a combination of factors, including the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic and Government-led recovery and tourism promotion initiatives.

According to HAZ, the industry has shown remarkable resilience, bouncing back after the severe disruptions caused by the global health crisis.

“A combination of factors has led to this tremendous performance, but obviously the subsiding of the Covid-19 pandemic has allowed the industry to boom yet again, coupled with robust Government interventions to recover the sector in the aftermath of Covid-19,” the association said.

HAZ projected that local hotels would experience increased occupancy rates during the upcoming Easter holiday, driven by the more stable economic environment.

After global inflation eased post the pandemic, travel affordability improved, leading to a rise in both domestic and international tourist arrivals.

Over the past two year, a total of US$300 million has been invested in the tourism sector with new facilities established, with restaurants, hotels, lodges, safaris and game parks dominating.

Tourism Business Council chief executive Mr Paul Matamisa affirmed HAZ’s assertion saying there had been significant investments in the sector post the Covid-19 era.

He said the new facilities should be coming into operation now.

“We surely have seen a number of investments in the sector, be it new resorts or upgrading of the existing ones in order to stay abreast with the current trends.

“We have seen new lodges around the country and many game parks have been upgraded across the country,” Mr Matamisa said.

The tourism industry is projected to record growth throughout the year, with the upcoming winter season, traditionally the peak tourism period, expected to see even higher volumes.

Zimbabwe’s tourism industry is expected to reach US$5 billion receipts by 2025 and experts believe the target is attainable with January 2025 setting the right tempo.

Rainbow Tourism Group reported that in 2024 the group’s occupancy levels rose to 54 percent compared to 52 percent last year, driven by a spike in accommodation and conferencing business.

HAZ vice president, Mr Farai Chimba, noted that the results showed an impressive performance after most industry players suffered seriously from the impact of Covid-19-induced difficulties.

“We have also seen hotels investing in massive refurbishments, providing a huge impetus to upgrade hotel infrastructure around the country,” he said.

Despite the positives, Mr Matamisa has previously highlighted that the tourism sector in Zimbabwe suffers from a lack of competitiveness.

He pointed out that Zimbabwean tourism packages were among the priciest compared to neighbouring countries.

Discussing the African Continental Free Trade Area, he noted that while it brings opportunities, Zimbabwe faces challenges because it is not adequately prepared.

According to him, the local market needs significant improvements across its industry to enhance competitiveness in Africa and globally.0herald

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