The Sunday News
Allan Foti, Business Correspondent
A Bulawayo-based travel agency, Ezy Travel has entered into an agreement with a luxury coach operator, Intercape-Pathfinder for the provision of tickets to passengers.
Ezy Travel managing director Mr Tafadzwa Muronzwa said the company was recently awarded a licence to operate as a ticket vendor by Intercape-Pathfinder.
The travel agency has since opened two branches at Bradfield low-density suburb and in the Central Business District (CBD).
“We were recently awarded a licence to operate as ticket vendors for Intercape-Pathfinder and decided to open two branches in Bulawayo. We have a branch at Zonkizizwe Shopping Centre in Bradfield and another at the Geddes Complex in the CBD,” said Mr Muronzwa.
He said the company decided to open the two ticket booking offices for the convenience of travellers.
“We are hoping to be allowed to have the coaches picking up passengers at our Geddes branch. We have already engaged the council for the requisite permits and look forward to their approval,” Mr Muronzwa said.
Currently Intercape-Pathfinder has one pick up and drop off point — N1 Hotel in the CBD for its coaches plying the Bulawayo-Johannesburg and Bulawayo-Harare routes.
Intercape-Pathfinder is a merger between leading South African luxury coach operator, Intercape and a local firm Pathfinder.
Ezy Travel is in the process of setting up an online portal for its vending business so as to increase its market share in what has become a cashless economy. The company also has plans to offer a travel marketplace.
“We are working on launching our online ticket vending portal that will allow us to take bookings and payments from all over the world. Most importantly considering that Zimbabwe has become a cashless society, we will be placed in an ideal position for growth if we encourage our customers to use the online platform for ticket payments. The company will make its revenue via commission. We get paid on every bus ticket sold,” said Mr Muronzwa.
The company also plans to focus on a wide portfolio of services including becoming a leading seller of flight tickets and holiday packages.
