The Herald (Zimbabwe)

New generation facilities ignite tourism industry

- Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix

ZIMBABWE’s tourism and hospitalit­y industry is growing by each day. Despite financial problems there has been massive investment in the tourism and hospitalit­y industry, especially by small companies. Many indigenous Zimbabwean­s have invested heavily in the industry and are beginning to reap the fruits and the facilities dotted around the country have really made their point.

This has given birth to a new generation of hotels and lodges that have ignited the market at the expense of long establishe­d tourism facilities.

From Mana Lodge in Harare to Nichrut Lodge in Shurugwi, Pote Hotel and Runde Lodge in Zvishavane, Stallion Lodge in Chiredzi to Victoria Falls Deluxe, among others, the tourism and hospitalit­y industry landscape has changed. There is now real value for money.

The new lodges and hotels have not only come up with aggressive marketing and promotion strategies but stateof-the-art fittings that have redefined hospitalit­y comfort.

The recent Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Awards and tourism awards have seen indigenous tourism companies scooping major awards, beating long establishe­d facilities.

That alone is testimony of how the new facilities have taken grip of the industry, in a highly noticeable way.

Wherever you go in Zimbabwe new tourism and hospitalit­y structures have come up, taking the limelight from the long establishe­d tourism facilities.

That Zimbabwe still has a lot of small but highly attractive tourist attraction­s that are yet to be explored, give the country more investment opportunit­ies.

Of late, the country has witnessed the establishm­ent of new facilities that are ultra-attractive and are beating convention­al hotels and lodges at their game.

With access to state-of-the-art fittings from the Far East, the new generation of hotels and lodges have become the mainstay of the tourism and hospitalit­y industry.

The new generation is giving long establishe­d hotels and lodges a run for their money. While the convention­al hotels are stuck in the past, the new generation is moving with world trends.

There is more comfort in the new generation of hotels than in old ones.

Interior deco in the new facilities is awesome. It is beyond diction.

The new hotels and lodges, have, besides bringing new ambience through fittings and architectu­ral splendour, brought an affordable pricing regime that is forcing many long establishe­d hotels to rethink and spruce up or be left out.

The new generation is advertisin­g big time, too.

Most hotels and lodges have in the past been out-pricing themselves in terms of accommodat­ion and food but the new generation facilities are more affordable.

In a way the new generation facilities have forced long establishe­d hotels to come up with marketing promotiona­ls that have seen prices go down for longer period than ever before.

The future survival of the long establishe­d hotels and lodges will depend on how they will regenerate themselves. As for the future, only time will tell.

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