The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
EFFORTS by the hospitality industry to boost domestic tourism have seen hotels coming up with holiday packages meant to augment Government’s attempts at promoting the Know Your Zimbabwe Campaign.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority head of Domestic Tourism Ms Annastancia Moyo said promoting local travel was imperative as tourism, like charity should begin at home.
She said it was important for the industry to promote the culture of travelling.
“We recognise the efforts of hotels like the Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG), African Sun and Cresta who have introduced packages aimed at the local market which are not only affordable but accessible as well,” said Mrs Moyo.
RTG introduced the Rainbow delights specials, a menu that has fairly priced meals that range from starters to the main course and dessert as well as a kiddies range from as little as $3 to $15. The hotel chain also introduced special rates for accommodation and a promotion that includes paying for two nights and staying three nights with the third night free.
On the other hand, African Sun and Cresta also introduced weekender special rates.
Mrs Moyo said the Know Your Zimbabwe Campaign was aimed at increasing domestic travel by 150 percent from 2013- 2020.
“In order to encourage locals to visit the country’s natural and cultural sites, it is important to have flexible packages. The tourism industry has to come up with structures that are affordable and we should not lose sight of the needs of disabled people as we develop products and packages,” she said.
She said operators had to take into cognisance the special needs of the people.
Meanwhile, steps are underway to quantify the contribution of domestic tourism in terms of spend to the fiscus through the tourism satellite account.
ZTA chief executive Karikoga Kaseke said the process which began in October last year would take about a year to be completed.
“At the moment we have no capacity of telling what domestic tourism is contributing in terms of spend. A domestic tourism survey will help us come up with all that information,” said Mr Kaseke.
