By Nevson Bara.
Zimbabwe. (News of The South) The hospitality, travel and tourism sectors have been hard hit by Covid-19. That as it might be, return of business is imminent at some point even though immediate forecasts see far away dates as March 2021 unless a miracle happens earlier.
There are questions that beg answers then: Are travel, tourism and hospitality sectors themselves taking advantage of this furlough period to re-align themselves with the covid-19 induced expectations as spelt out in the World Health Organization (WHO) set standards? Will the industry remain stuck in the olden day pricing and marketing models that have been at the exclusion of locals or these also have to be re-engineered to attract and mop in domestic market which has largely remained excluded and crowded out?
In the thought process a number of industry experts – both abroad and in Zimbabwe – who proffered opinions on the new normal post-covid-19. A prominent executive in the hospitality and tourism industry based in Victoria Falls confirmed that indeed the industry is geared for the new normal. Transfer vehicles as well as accommodation and restaurant facilities are being modified to be compliant with the covid-19 induced new normal. She said that the industry is busy right now redesigning the facilities to ensure social distancing be it in restaurants buses and accommodation facilities when people sit and that disinfection and sanitizers and temperature guns are a strict requirement at all facilities.
Industry professionals – a Mr Trust Ndhlovu and Miss Mirriam Moyo – supported the claim that indeed the industry is geared for the return of business. Mr Ndhlovu said almost all properties he visited during his tour of duty are doing refurbishments and setting up sanitization points on their facilities. “Operators are geared for the return of business, and are now even psyched to live with the disease,” Mr Ndhlovu said.
It cannot be business as usual in the pricing and marketing models for the industry, Mr Percy Dzere, a UK based hospitality and tourism expert intimated in a WhatsApp chat. “If we are to kick start or embed tourism within the Zimbabwe fabric, we have to tap the domestic and regional markets. It is said Africa has the fastest growing middle class, let’s tap into that. With trans-global marketing travel curtailed by Covid-19, it is the only but the domestic market that can sustain us. The elitist, high end market approach or low volume high spend approach to me seems a relic of a colonial and segregationist hang over. If we develop caravan like or mobile park homes or products that lock in a five to seven or weekend ‘staycation’ or vacations like the British companies like Butlins or Haven homes, that would drive the local family market. Moreso you capture the young and growing generation to also inculcate the holidaying culture,” Mr Dzere asserted.
The new pricing and market models should just be all inclusive. Mr Dzere further reiterated also that operators should ensure that we operate within WHO guidelines and safe guard the guests and staff. He reiterated that operators have to relook their operating procedures , practices and product. “In the main the restaurants may need re-laying out… social distancing ramifications etc. We need to go back to the drawing board. In any case these new requirements and demands in the new normal actually create opportunities to clever discerning and alert eyes.”
However it is not so rosy as we are currently deeply immersed in the Covid-19 in the short term, even if we refocused attention on the domestic market by raising awareness. A safari tour operator based in Harare, Mr Stanley Mudawarima, said that there is little in terms of discretionary income to translate into domestic tourism business. Zimbabweans are currently going through an economic storm, which has only been made worse by Covid-19. The safari operator who is a key part to the industry’s National Employment Council said that the short term focus right now is “driving business in the domestic market targeting leisure and conference business. Zimbabwe is still at level two and intercity/provincial travels are still prohibited, though, the demand for conferencing is steadily picking up. The strategy then would be to drive domestic tourism in key sectors with focus on government ministries, quasi-government bodies, NGOs, professional bodies and institutions, financial institutions and mining houses.” As an add-on, “domestic leisure focus to be on educational trips, family tourism holidays, free independent travellers, couples retreats, religious groups camps, weddings and honeymoons” This echoed with Mr Dzere’s ‘staycation’ proposal, together with the revision of the pricing and marketing models through “open discounts of around 50% for both individuals and groups, offers towards both long and short stay packages.”
Efforts are already underway to incorporate transport and accommodation and activities, with partnerships being worked out with airlines to provide more services in Victoria Falls, Kariba, Hwange and Bulawayo being in the pipeline. On its part, Mr Mudawarima implored government to ease ban on intercity and provincial travel as this is hugely an impediment to the revival of domestic tourism. However such a decision should always remain hinged scientific advice government gets and maintaining of saving both lives and livelihoods.
The sector has been severely affected by restrictions and all want to see it gradually come back. However as long as Zimbabwe remains endowed with its vibrant tourism products indeed business shall return, but in a new normal environment with its own dictates.
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