Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) has urged stakeholders to join hands and play an active role in steering the sector forward to positively contribute towards the economic recovery of the country.
Speaking at the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe 2017 congress currently underway in Nyanga, HAZ out going president, George Manyukwa said time was ripe for the country’s economy to take and recover from years of decline.
“It is indeed time for Zimbabwe to rebuild its economy that suffered years of decline and it is through forums such as this that the hospitality sector meets to share ideas,identify opportunities,seek solutions to challenges and most of all identify regulations that are an impediment to the development of the sector and suggests for government on measure to mitigate on these issues
“This congress is intended to facilitate discussion of key policy issues which impact on the hospitality sector,promote networking among peers,sharing of innovations and recognize those who excelled in their various disciplines of hospitality sector this year,” said Manyukwa.
He called for a close relationship between the private sector and tourism ministry on strategic issues that will help the process of rebuilding the hospitality sector.
“There is need for close relationship between private sector and ministry of tourism on strategic issues.
“It is encouraging that we spur discussions in the areas of domestic tourism with special emphasis on urban tourism to combat poverty.
“Agro-tourism is a form of tourism which capitalizes on rural culture as a tourist attraction, inclusive branding of tourist destinations in Zimbabwe by all sectors and hospitality players in each destination that creates visible identity or theme to any visitor, examples include a historical tourism where even restaurants menus are themed around the town’s history,” added Manyukwa.
