The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has warned tourism players that do not adhere to the strict Covid-19 preventive guidelines and protocols that they risk losing their operating licenses.
Government recently gave the greenlight to the gradual reopening of the tourism sector in the country which saw the endorsement of Covid-19 Guidelines and Protocols meant to guide operations in the sector mainly relating to the containment of the global pandemic.
In a statement, ZTA emphasised the need for the players in the sector to abide to these guidelines and protocols, revealing that regulatory and quality assurance team, in conjunction with the relevant arms of Government, will be rigorously monitoring and enforcing compliance.
“It has however come to the attention of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority with great concern that some operators are not following the guidelines and protocols as well as the conditions set out by the Government.
“Accordingly, tourism operators and consumers of tourism products and services are urged to comply with the approved general guidelines for tourism industry as any breach will leave the authorities with no other option than to close those operations found in breach,” reads part of the statement.
The tourism mother body revealed that the monitoring exercise will be on-going throughout the lockdown period to ensure full compliance and will cover the whole country.
According to the guidelines to be followed, all operators should ensure that at all designated tourism facilities staff and consumers alike must undertake temperature checks, maintain social distancing, sanitise as appropriate, wash their hands, wear face masks appropriately, maintain high hygienic standards and adhere to the approved operating hours.
