daniel chigunwe
TOURISM has been growing fast and now contributes 12 percent of National Gross Domestic Product, that is one dollar in eight to our national wealth.
It is set to grow even more fairly quickly as it leverages on Zimbabwe’s natural resources and climate.
Growing tourism requires, like all economic activity, investment, but it is an industry where the investment per dollar of return is lower than most, and more importantly in a Zimbabwean context there are lot of openings for family and smaller businesses as well as major hotels and specialist chains.
The other major gain from tourism is that it is a labour intensive industry.
A lot of services that tourists require have to be provided by humans, rather than machines. A large slice of the new jobs are at the lower end of the pay scales, but there is also work that requires high levels of skills and this is why there must be continued emphasis on training.
Already there have been efforts, including degree courses, along with the practical training in what amount to apprenticeships.
When it comes to very practical skills in areas where one is largely dealing with people, while some theoretical background can be essential, it is even more essential that those in training can be with and understudying those who are already accomplished and successful.
This is important when we look at the limits to mass tourism to Zimbabwe, that is being at the end of a continent and needing long flights to get here.
That can be overcome as it is being overcome with the multi-country package tours, and we must not neglect this market, but we must also work out ways of making sure every visitor spends more time in the country.
The emphasis placed by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi on the contribution to national wealth, rather than just arrivals, is correct, as with all economic sectors it is the value that is important.
One well-off visitor spending a week in Zimbabwe will add considerably more value, and create more employment and spend more money, than a group of more ordinary people flying in for a day.
The industry is going far beyond just attracting people to the country to see the Victoria Falls and the wildlife, with a major effort now concentrating on conferences, meetings and exhibitions, where those attending will spend several days in the country on business and many can be persuaded to extend their stay after the official part of their trip and have a bit of a holiday.
This sort of institutional business tourism provides a solid base for those in the hospitality industry.
Zimbabwe is building its reputation in this area, by providing good and efficient services at reasonable prices in areas where there are also other attractions for those attending when they pack in for the day, and which they may want to enjoy once the conference is over.
Another area where Zimbabwe is now acquiring a good name is the luxury end of the market, especially for specialist wild area and wildlife tourism.
Recently, we even had a group of billionaires, rather than just one or two, seeking one of these special holidays of what must be a high level of luxury and service in the wilds of Africa, and all this in total safety.
Both the conference tourism and the luxury tourism require a large group of highly-skilled people who can cater for every need of these sort of visitors, who are used to the best.
This will increasingly require extra language skills, as will the middle-class mass market, if we are to help people feel at home when they are here.
While many of those in international organisations attending a conference or who are used to the really top end of business finance will be fluent in the main international language, English, many will appreciate a serious effort to understand their own language and culture.
This becomes more important as we look at growing that package tour market as many Asians from countries that have been through their rapid cycle of economic growth are now looking at extending their horizons.
While these groups often have their own tour guide and courier who flies in with them, there are obviously openings for Zimbabweans able to offer the same service and able to do so at high levels of competence.
This is an example of where smaller businesses with a good reputation and the right people can flourish as they put together something that goes a bit further than what a tour group might be used to and so get better value.
We also need to keep building our regional identity, already seen very strongly in the ever closer ties between tour operators in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia in what has now been formalised as the Kavango-Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area, but which was already operating as a single tourism destination before the signatures.
We could almost certainly upgrade the ties with Mozambican and Namibian operations to ensure that we can add sea coasts to the vast range of interior attractions.
Tourism is a highly competitive industry. Zimbabwe had a bad press at one time, but that seems to now be in the past as more and more people come.
But we have to make sure that these visitors have a good time, receive value for money, and enjoy their visit. Marketing is needed, but in the end the most effective marketing is by word of mouth, people recommending Zimbabwe to their friends and even posting good reviews on their social media sites.
And that means relentless adherence to high standards, since one bad experience can dampen enthusiasm of others. But so long as we do adhere to these standards, we will see this industry grow, create ever more wealth and many more jobs.
leeroy mupariri
Online Reporter
