ZIMBABWE: Troubled Air Zimbabwe

The national airline Air Zimbabwe has been operating one aircraft the B767-200ER and the plane is suffering from an engine technical failure it has emerged.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Air Zimbabwe said, The aircraft had to undergo an engine change on Sunday 3 March.

The engine process could however not be completed within the projected time due to unforeseen circumstances.

This has resulted in serious disruptions as most flights had to be rescheduled.

There are reports that Air Zimbabwe left its passengers stranded in Johannesburg on Tuesday night by flying out four hours early.

Air Zimbabwe further said the alternative arrangement is being made for any passengers that are not reachable on the contact details submitted to the Airline at the point of ticketing.

Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd operating as Air Zimbabwe is the national carrier of Zimbabwe, headquartered on the property of Harare International Airport, in Harare.

From its hub at Harare International Airport, the carrier used to operate a network within southern Africa that also included Asia and London-Gatwick.

Following financial difficulties, Air Zimbabwe ceased operations in late February 2012. Serving a reduced domestic network, the carrier resumed operations for a short period between May and early July 2012, when flights were again discontinued.

Some flights were restarted on a discontinuous basis in November that year. The airline resumed operating some domestic routes as well as the regional service to Johannesburg on a daily basis in April 2013.

The company was a member of the International Air Transport Association, and of the African Airlines Association since 1981.

In February 2004, it was revealed that the company had been temporarily suspended by the IATA over unpaid debts.

In late October 2006, the prices of Air Zimbabwe tickets increased up to 500%, partly due to the inflation in the country rising to over 1,000% at that time the Zimbabwean Central Bank stated that it could not continue supporting Air Zimbabwe and other money-losing state companies—and partly because the airline was in need of foreign currency to pay for fuel, spare parts, and catering.

A foreign exchange crisis in the country led to the cancellation of the carrier's operations in late 2005, following the lack of hard currency to pay for the fuel. In 2006, it was disclosed that passenger numbers had fallen from 1 million in 1999 to 23,000 in 2005.

In May 2011, the airline was suspended from IATA's international financial and booking system over unpaid booking fees. It was announced in early November 2011 that the government would absorb a US$140 million debt in order to make the company more attractive to foreign investors.

Already in December 2011, the carrier struggled to provide its regional and overseas services amid aircraft impoundments over unpaid debts.

In January 2012, the airline came under judicial management. Following a failed revival attempt, in which the pilots refused to resume domestic services over US$35 million in unpaid salaries and allowances, it was announced on 24 February 2012 that Air Zimbabwe would be grounded indefinitely.

In March of the same year, the government of Zimbabwe established Air Zimbabwe Private Limited as the new owner of the carrier after disbanding the airline's former parastatal owner Air Zimbabwe Holdings and absorbing a US$150 million debt.

The airline resumed flying on a continuous basis in early May 2012, yet using a single aircraft and serving only three domestic destinations Bulawayo, Harare and Victoria Falls and only for a short period of time until the grounding of the aircraft on 2 July 2012.

The airline was reactivated in late November 2012, with a reduced flight scheme serving the Harare–Johannesburg route.

Reports then indicated the carrier resumed domestic operations connecting Bulawayo, Harare and Victoria Falls, as well as the regional route to Johannesburg, on a daily basis in April 2013, ahead of the 2013 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

As of July 2017, Air Zimbabwe's debts were estimated to be US$330 million.

Approximately 600 employees out of more than 1,000 had been laid off by late May 2013 as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at recapitalising the airline.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority revealed in June 2013 that the airline's market share suffered a steep decrease in the year ending 31 December 2012, with a 0.8% participation in this period down from 27% in the same period of 2009.

On 8 June 2018, it was reported that Air Zimbabwe had debts of more than $300 million and could no longer fly to most destinations due to threats by debtors to impound its aircraft.

With mounting debt and only three of its aircraft operational, the airline was put under administration on October 6, 2018.

In May 2017 Air Zimbabwe was added to the list of air carriers banned in the European Union as a result of not meeting EU safety standards.

Since March 2012 the airline has been operated through Air Zimbabwe Private Limited, which is wholly owned by the Zimbabwe Government, although there have long been plans to privatise the airline in some degree.

Chipo Dyanda is the airline's chairwoman, as of July 2017.

In October 2016, Simba Chikore was appointed to be the Chief Operating Officer (COO), amid much controversy and accusations of nepotism as he is also the son-in-law to then Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Simba resigned from Air Zimababwe in November 2017.

Air Zimbabwe has been loss-making for many years, with irregular services. Although the airline is government owned, full annual reports have not been published; audited accounts were last presented in 2008.

The Harare–Beijing service was launched in November 2004, following an increase of the Chinese–Zimbabwean economic ties. Likewise, the carrier added Kuala Lumpur to its network in 2009.

A capacity boost was disclosed to occur on the Harare–London-Gatwick route effective 1 April 2011. The Harare–London route that was once served by both British Airways and Air Zimbabwe had become one of the most lucrative routes for Air Zimbabwe since the British carrier discontinued the service in 2007.

It was revealed in February 2011 that the airline temporarily suspended its flights to Johannesburg over likely impoundments of its planes by creditors due to unpaid debts.

Regional and domestic services were suspended for a short period in May 2011, following both the grounding of its Boeing 737-200 fleet by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) over maintenance concerns, and the impoundment of a leased aircraft from Zambezi Airlines over a US$460,000 unpaid debt.

Operations resumed in late May 2011, following an agreement between the two airlines, yet the aircraft was repossessed by the owner in late June 2011.

In mid-June 2011, flights to London and South Africa were temporarily suspended because of a due debt with fuel suppliers. Owing both to the grounding of the 737-200 fleet and to fuel shortages in the country, domestic services were suspended and regional flights were operated on an irregular basis.

The airline started regularising medium- and short-haul operations in July 2011, as it got clearance from the CAAZ to operate one of its three grounded 737-200.

Operations were discontinued again in late July 2011, this time due to a pilots' strike, resuming in mid-September after a 50-day-long strike.

Once again, overseas and domestic flights were temporarily cancelled in early November 2011, this time owing to an unpaid debt with fuel providers.

Overseas routes resumed on 11 November 2011. However, flights to the United Kingdom and South Africa were suspended in January 2012 over likely impoundments of the airline's aircraft for outstanding debts.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, the company has not had a fatal accident since Air Rhodesia was renamed Air Zimbabwe in 1980.

July 1984: A Vickers 756D Viscount, registration Z-YNI, was damaged beyond repair in an incident on the grounds of Harare International Airport. It was withdrawn from service and transferred to the airport fire department for use as a training aid.

In June 1999 the Chicago Tribune published a story, later withdrawn, in which the reporter Gaby Plattner claimed she had flown from Kariba to Hwange on an Air Zimbabwe service, and that the flight departed without a co-pilot, and during the flight the pilot was locked out of the cockpit, and had to use an axe to chop down the door.

The newspaper later stated that this story was untrue. The carrier then sued the Chicago Tribune and also CNN, after it ran a story claiming it was the most dangerous airline in the world.


Tourism Observer

ZIMBABWE: Export Incentive To Tourism

The export incentive was introduced last year under a $200 million facility guaranteed by the African Export-Import Bank under the bond notes regime.

Qualifying exporters get an extra 5% in bond notes.

In his monetary policy statement RBZ governor, John Mangudya said the bank was extending the export incentive scheme to the tourism industry, as a reward for its contribution to foreign currency generation.

He said the depreciation of the South African rand and other regional currencies affected the price competitiveness of the country’s tourism industry, considering that the bulk of tourists come from Africa, particularly South Africa.

In view of this, Zimbabwe becomes more expensive as a tourist destination as the US dollar strengthens against the regional currencies.

The export incentive scheme is, therefore, expected to provide some cushion to allow the tourism sector to adjust prices to remain competitive, Mangudya said.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi applauded Mangudya for listening to sectoral representation and “reflecting and aligning to global tourism trends, which now capture tourism, as the third global export earner”.

He needs to be applauded because the behaviour of currencies single-handedly after safety and security is a key determinant of growth in the tourism sector, as weaker currencies and devaluations tend to attract traffic from stronger currency source markets.

A case in point is how the United Kingdom has benefited from Brexit with its attendant weakening of the pound sterling that has seen tourism spending surge to a 7% year-on-year increase,he said.

Mzembi said dollarisation has severe competitiveness unintended consequences, and any measure that mitigates that, is welcome.

There is no incentive for a rand source market to holiday in Zimbabwe, and measures to incentivise rand acceptance as transactional currency in the tourism sector are most welcome, he said.

Mzembi said there was also need to attend to US dollar denominated cost drivers — labour, power, water and other cost of sales, which can only be tamed by a “holistic internal devaluation exercise and the benefits passed to tourism to achieve effective and competitiveness in rand pricing in near parity with South Africa itself”.

Zimbabwe Council of Tourism president, Tich Hwingwiri said: The decision to extend the incentive is a welcome development, as government continues to recognise industry as a quick win, especially during these times of the scarcity of the foreign currency.

The industry is looking forward to execution of ease to do business recommendations in order to invite more visitors to our country thus resulting in more foreign currency inflows.

Tourism is considered a the best income earner, and provides the quickest turnaround ahead of other sectors such as mining and agriculture.

Zimbabwe Tour Operators’ Association former chairperson, Wengayi Nhau said he also welcomed the move, but added the central bank needed to make special considerations to tour operators, who needed to import for their business.

We will do our best because we are an exportable service. There are fundamentals though that still need to be addressed. Our sector being as it is by its nature most of our services and goods that we then need as inputs come from outside, he said.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive Karikoga Kaseke said that while some businesses closed down in recent years due to economic challenges, there has been a notable rise in new investments into the tourism sector.

The Tourism sector registered 28 new restaurants, 17 new guesthouses and 28 incentive travel organisers. This goes to show that the sector can actually be the catalyst for the economic turnaround of Zimbabwe given all the necessary support and enabling operating environment, Kaseke said.

Industry officials say Harare requires about 1,000 more rooms by 2018 and at least another 1,000 by 2020. Victoria Falls requires at least 500 more rooms by 2018 and a 1,000 more rooms by 2020.

He said tourism thrives well in an economy that was stable, but the ongoing economic challenges have resulted in low disposable income for the country’s citizens, who are the nation’s potential domestic tourists.

Consequently, Kaseke said the domestic tourism suffers, as there was low propensity for the locals to engage in tourism activities.

The liquidity cash crisis in the country has resulted in limited business both at local and international level impairing the growth of the tourism industry as both domestic and foreign tourists cannot access cash, Kaseke said.

Cash shortages have also resulted in damage to the country’s image. This is especially so as some countries including the UK issued travel advisories warning their citizens on the cash shortages, a move which deters potential tourists to the country.

Furthermore, this scenario reduces tourism expenditure denying the sector the opportunity to generate the much needed foreign currency, he said.

Kaseke said tourists do not have the cash to buy curios, arts and crafts further reducing the downstream impact of tourism.

The ZTA boss said the tourism industry was affected by many taxes and licences and this was compounding in making the country’s tourism product more expensive and uncompetitive within the region.

Tourists now prefer to stay in neighbouring countries crossing over into Zimbabwe for fewer days because of the higher costs of the destination, he said.

ZIMBABWE: Police And Customs Officers Harassing Tourists

Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) has brought to the fore the impact of roadblocks on the country, with tourists alleging harassment by police at roadblocks and persecution by customs officers at points of entry.

Titled Visitor Exit Survey, ZIMSTAT was commissioned to undertake the survey by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality.

It revealed that although the majority of the foreign tourists polled between 2015 and 2016 were generally happy to return or recommend the country, some had no kind words for Zimbabwe on account of the ill-treatment they got.

Of the 38 680 foreign tourists polled, 95 percent of them gave Zimbabwe the thumbs up.

But five percent of them were not happy with their stay.

Of the five percent, 43,2 percent said they had been harassed by the police at roadblocks, while 14,7 percent were harassed by customs officers at the 10 border posts included in the survey.

It said 8,7 percent reported that they would not return to a country where immigration officials were rough.

While five percent appears to be a small number, tourism experts said their concerns would still have serious implications on traffic into the country.

Zimbabwe ranks tourism among the major drivers of the economy along with manufacturing, agriculture and mining.

It is the first time government has commissioned a survey to gather tourist perceptions on Zimbabwe since roadblocks were intensified on major highways in 2009.

Hotels and other tourism operators have been complaining bitterly over the heavy presence of police on the country's roads.

During the review period, 80 percent of arrivals into Zimbabwe were African tourists who preferred to drive and had to endure multiple roadblocks on their way to visit key attractions.

Excessive policing on the roads has forced some tourists arriving by road to avoid Zimbabwean resorts.

For instance, some now prefer to drive into Botswana's Chobe National Park and Zambia, translating into substantial loss of revenue.

"In order to retain reputation of Zimbabwe being a hospitable nation there is need to ensure continuous training of frontline personnel who interact with visitors creating the first and last impressions on the destination such as immigration, customs and police," ZIMSTAT said in the report.

There has been a dramatic decline in tourist arrivals in most resorts such as Binga, once a prime tourist destination, mostly due to the roadblocks.

Tourism operators said government must deal with the problem now to avoid losing tourist traffic.

"We don't have to beat about the bush in terms of the damage that is done by road blocks to the product," said Zimbabwe Council of Tourism chief executive officer, Paul Matamisa.

"If you are going to Bulawayo and there are 20 roadblocks you spend time stopping on 20 roadblocks. In other countries you do not see so many roadblocks on roads to tourist resorts," he said.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority acting chief executive officer, Givemore Chidzidzi, also called upon concerned State agencies to review their conduct when dealing with tourists.

ZIMBABWE: Heavy Taxation Chokes Tourism

Presenting to the Zimbabwe National Defence College on Monday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Walter Mzembi said he had received complaints from a number of tourism operators, who had been receiving tax bills of more than $4 million annually.

“I am going to be meeting with the acting Finance minister Walter Chidhakwa today to discuss this very issue. This is killing the sector. If we don’t conceive sound taxation policies for the sector, we could tax the sector to death … we don’t want to be that desperate,” he said.

“The tax is just implemented without an effective cost-benefit and opportunity-cost assessment.”

The sector has been battling for the scrapping of the 15% value added tax on accommodation for foreigners, which has made Zimbabwe an expensive destination.

Mzembi said the tourism sector was currently the second largest employer in the country, directly and indirectly, after the civil service and there was need to ensure that these jobs were protected.

He urged the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and other operators to be aggressive in marketing the country.

“The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and other tour operators in the country need to be aggressive and market regional tourism products as part of the local product in the context of the ‘regional integrated tourism products’ policy,” Mzembi said.

South Africa has been promoting Victoria Falls as their tourism product and in the process, generates revenue that should have benefited Zimbabwe.

Tourism has the quickest turnaround ahead of other sectors such as mining and manufacturing.

In the first quarter of the year, tourist arrivals grew by 16% to 450 572, spurred by the growth in arrivals from all the source markets except Oceania. In the same period in 2015, arrivals were 387 557.

The government is implementing the National Tourism Policy of 2014 to ensure the country fully exploits its natural resources and tourism sites for the benefit of the economy.

Under the 5:5:15:2020 model, Zimbabwe aims to have five million arrivals, generate $5 billion from tourism and the sector contributing 15% to the gross domestic product by 2020.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority And Thailand Tourism Association Sign MOU

The partnership deal was sealed at the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, which ended on Saturday.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, ZTA chief executive officer, Karikoga Kaseke said the MoU would go a long way in helping Zimbabwe attract the Asian market, particularly India and China.

Kaseke said currently, Zimbabwe was not receiving any significant inflows of tourists from Asian countries due to stringent visa conditions.

“We have a challenge with our visa regimes. We tend to concentrate more on the security of our nation, even though sometimes there would be no security threat to worry about. India is in Category C (countries whose nationals are required to apply for and obtain a Zimbabwe visa prior to travelling) even though it’s a good market. Why?” he said.

Kaseke said Singapore was being sustained by tourist arrivals from India.

“We need to take advantage of this MoU and implement it for the benefit of tourism in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Kaseke said in 2015, Zimbabwe received 6 925 tourists from China, a figure he said, was too small.

Speaking at the same function, Pata chief of staff, Dale Lawrence said it was their first time to sign a membership MoU with an African country at government level.

He reiterated the need for Zimbabwe to ease Indian visa conditions.

Founded in 1951, Lawrence said Pata was a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.

He said, the association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, comprising 97 governments, State and city tourism bodies, 27 international airlines, airports and cruise liners, 63 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond.

ZIMBABWE: Tourism Negatively Affected By Government Policies

Tourism players have appealed to government to revisit some of its policies that are negatively affecting the industry which is currently grappling with subdued tourist arrivals.

There is unanimity among industry actors that tourism is a key growth driver and Treasury estimates that the sector is set to grow by more than 4,7 percent this year and maintain moderate growth of above four percent.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has highlighted that government supports interventions meant to enhance tourism, which include marketing, relaxing the visa regime, investment in tourism and related infrastructure and promotion of the "Open skies policy."

However, industry players said they were suffering from the dire effects of some government policies whose existence directly affects operations and tourist arrivals.

Two years ago, government introduced a 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on accommodation and recently came up with Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 which restricts the importation of a range of goods into the country without a licence or import permit.

Tourism players who include hoteliers and tour operators held an urgent meeting last week under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) where they implored the ZTA board, led by Chipo Mutasa, to immediately engage government over the issues.

Zimbabwe Council for Tourism (ZCT) representative, Barbra Murasiranwa, told the meeting that the sector was saddled with a number of challenges that needed urgent attention.

Murasiranwa said even the 15 percent VAT introduced by government two years ago needs re-visiting as it was directly affecting tourism.

"Something still needs to be done about VAT. It's making our destination expensive. We want to bring business to the country through luring tourists, but we can't do that when our products are this expensive. We can attract more tourists if VAT is removed," said Murasiranwa.

She said some countries such as Kenya and Tanzania had scrapped VAT to attract more tourists into their countries. ZCT has also appealed for a one-stop-shop where all licence fees and permits could be applied for and obtained under one roof.

Murasiranwa called for decentralisation of licence offices to respective towns where tour operators could, for instance, apply for permits in Victoria Falls or any other town they are domiciled in rather than having to travel to Harare.

"We also need a one-stop-shop where operators can apply for permits and licences and do away with multiple licences. There are as many as 20 licences needed to run helicopter and boats (services) and all these are obtained from Harare and Bulawayo. Fees should be reasonable as well," she said.

Murasiranwa said the industry still needed assistance regarding the prolonged rates impasse between hotels and the Victoria Falls Municipality.

African Sun Hotel group and the local authority recently clashed over a US$400 000 bill in unpaid rates, which had skyrocketed following a disputed 500 percent tariff increase.

"The rates issue between (Victoria Falls) hotels and the council is still pending. The council introduced a 500 percent increase in rates resulting in a number of meetings after we complained about the issue. The rates were then reduced by 20 percent, but hotels are still appealing for a relook into this because the figure is still high," said Murasiranwa.

Mutasa said they would return to the resort town with a response within a month.

ZIMBABWE: Matetsi Game Reserve To Open New Lodge

Following a recent visit to Zimbabwe for the Sanganai 2016 World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo, did opportunity arise to meet a number of stakeholders from locations right across the country.

As a result did information come to light now that a new lodge, the Matetsi River Lodge, will open on the private game reserve on the 01st of August with nine accommodation units. A further nine chalets are said to be ready two weeks later, bringing the number of suites to just 18 overall, including two family cottages.

A month later, on the 01st of September, will then the Matetsi River House open its doors, a very upmarket villa set up with four bedrooms, perfect for either a family or some couples travelling together. Two of the four bedrooms are self contained while two with an interconnecting door share one bathroom. The villa has its own staff, a dedicated butler and of course its own 4x4 game drive vehicle with an experienced guide to take guests into the reserve for game drives.

Both properties will be managed by &Beyond, a pan African safari and camp operator and the opening is a sign of renewed confidence that Zimbabwe is making her way back as a mainstream African safari destination.

The Sanganai 2016 tourism trade show was the 15th, organized by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and the arguably most successful ever in terms of exhibitors, trade attendance from within Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries, hosted buyers and invited media.

ZIMBABWE: Pacific Asia Travel Association Admits Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe today became the first member outside the traditional geographical area of operation of PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, when just two hours ago the Chief of Staff of PATA Mr. Dale Lawrence and the CEO of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Mr. Karikoga Kaseke signed the admission documents.

This happened on the sidelines of the ongoing Sanganai 2016 World Tourism Expo, a major coup for Zimbabwe and a major new direction for PATA, which has so far only admitted members from their direct area of operation.

Said Mr. Dale Lawrence when asked if this signalled a shift of focus or had required a special resolution by PATA: 'When PATA was formed the objective was to support travel to, from and within the PATA geographical area of the Pacific and Asia.

The admission of Zimbabwe as the first African member is in line with the mandate to support travel from the PATA area to that country'.

In turn did ZTA chief Kaseke acknowledge that special moment to be the first country from the African continent to break the glass ceiling which hitherto existed and left no doubt where the new membership was heading: 'This MoU in itself does not move things along, we need to fill the membership with activities and work together to accomplish our objectives, which is to increase travel from the Pacific and in particular Asia to Zimbabwe.

In fact, now that we are a member I think we can host a major PATA meeting or tourism exhibition here in Zimbabwe in the space of five years'.

It is understood that other African countries and in particular the Indian Ocean islands may now very well also seek membership in PATA, which could significantly raise the organization's numbers and geographical extent across the globe and could turn PATA into a global body.

ZIMBABWE: Zim Collects $1,65m Tourism VAT

Willard Manungo, Finance ministry’s permanent secretary

Hard–hit Zimbabwe government collected a total of $1,65 million from value added tax (VAT) on non-resident tourist accommodation in the four months to April this year, a top official has revealed.

Willard Manungo, Finance ministry’s permanent secretary, on Monday told Parliament that government was aware of implications surrounding the VAT introduction and this was consistent with developments within the southern African regional countries.

“From a fiscal point of view, we continuously monitor the environment to try and ensure that we don’t undermine the recovery of the tourism sector,” he said adding that the VAT was only introduced based on submissions from tourism stakeholders.

The permanent secretary noted that government from 2009 introduced rebates on capital goods and suspension of duty on vehicles imported under tourism sector as way of supporting the tourism industry in expansion initiatives and refurbishment of hotel facilities.

“In 2014 alone, the concessions that we gave with regards to tourism industry, we have foregone over $2 million in terms of duty that should have been paid by the sector again as a way of trying to improve the sector’s competitiveness,” he said.

He added that 33 tourism operators had so far benefitted from the rebate on capital goods related to the tourism sector while the suspension of duty on motor vehicles imported by the sector had benefitted about 22 tourism operators.

“All in all, 55 operators have actually been able to benefit by way of concessions on both capital goods as well as on motor vehicles,” said Manungo.

This comes as the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has already pleaded with tourism operators to maintain last year’s rates despite the introduction of levy on foreign accommodation as a way of boosting tourism.

“This year we have agreed that industry will pay and they are already paying the 15 percent but they can’t change their rates,” ZTA chief executive Karikoga Kaseke recently said.

“It means the tax is eroding into their revenues and profitability. I don’t know what will happen when we let them increase rates next year. It will be bad,” Kaseke said.

The tourism boss noted that his organisation was not ruling out the possibility of a reversal of the decision to impose the tax.

“The 15 percent VAT has been lumped on industry whilst efforts to try and persuade fiscal authorities are underway and the minister (Walter Mzembi) is very much pushing for reversal of that decision,” said Kaseke.

In January this year, Zimbabwe unilaterally imposed a 15 percent tax on foreign tourists’ accommodation to enhance its depleting coffers.

The southern African country has not been charging VAT on foreigners’ accommodation payments and tourism-related services for the past decade.

When the Vat system was introduced in 2003, the travel and tourism sector was recognised as an exporter and was exempt from VAT on foreign visitors’ payments.

Tourism is one of Zimbabwe’s major foreign currency earners, generating $827 million in 2014, down from $856 million in 2013.

ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe’s Tourism Authority Expects Big Exhibitor Numbers, Come 2016 Sanganai Tourism Fair

Zimbabwe’s annual international tourism fair ‘Sanganai Hlanganani’ will this year take place in the country’s second largest city Bulawayo from the 16th to 18th of June. The location will be the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre which sits on 17 hectares of land and offers some 55.000 square metres of indoor and outdoor spaces spread across 6 major halls and dozens of pavilions. The move is aimed to facilitate a larger number of stands since at the 2015 edition, though setting a new record number of 328 participating exhibitors, at least 10 foreign companies failed to secure space after both conference centre floors inside the Rainbow Towers and Conference Centre and the outdoor tents had sold out.

Information received earlier in the week suggests that already some 85 companies and organizations have booked their stand space at ZIEC , including the Kenya Tourism Board but also exhibitors from South Africa, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana and Egypt. Going by the attendance of last year will many more companies and organizations sign up to participate in this Southern African tourism exhibition, including from countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Namibia and Ethiopia.

Officials from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority are also expecting that the number of hosted buyers will rise again, after reaching 110 last year, crucially important as they are the ones generating business for Zimbabwe’s safari and tour operators and the safari lodges and hotels across the country.

ZTA officials have also confirmed that international travel and tourism media representatives will again be invited to showcase the country which continues to struggle with negative perception and selective boycotts, posing challenges for the local tourism industry.

In the face of such action has Zimbabwe however done the smart thing, making travel to the country even easier through targeted changes in their Visa policy. Notably have most Western nationals the option to obtain Visa on arrival, at one of the lowest fees on the continent with just 30 US Dollars for a single entry Visa or 50 US Dollars for the combined Zimbabwe / Zambia ‘UniVisa’ which allows for visits to both countries and repeated border crossings between the two as safari itineraries make it necessary.

UNWTO in their latest data release ranks Zimbabwe as the 29th country out of 54 selected for their progress made in facilitating international travel over the past five years, after changing a total of 117 regulations resulting in progressively rising visitor numbers again. These changes are largely attributed to Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzambi, now the longest serving African tourism minister, who has taken these initiatives not only to the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa but has also managed to put it on the agenda of the African Union.

While AU member state Seychelles stands out for requiring no Visa at all, from any nationality across the globe, are efforts now underway at AU level to progressively lift Visa requirements for citizens of African Union member states to finally tap into the rich continental travel market and promote travel across Africa.

Discussed in length during the ministerial round table at last year’s Sanganai Hlanganani tourism fair, when ministers from Congo, Mozambique and South Africa joined Walter Mzembi on stage is a progress review and formulating an action plan towards that end no doubt going to be on the agenda for the 2016 fair in Bulawayo.

Bulawayo itself, also known as the City of the Kings, is within easy reach of the ‘Great Zimbabwe’ monuments, the Matobo National Park and Hwange National Park and only half an hour flight from both Victoria Falls and the capital Harare.

ZIMBABWE: Slizer Invades Zim Music Scene

Zimbabwean music fans had a rare chance to meet and mingle with several musicians who include Botswana music stars Slizer and Franco.

Queen of Kwaito-Kwasa, Naledi Kaisara aka Slizer, has found love in Zimbabwe as is evidenced by her many visits to grace the local stage.

To show her appreciation of the country she has released a song and a video on Zimbabwe on a DVD titled Slizer wow Dhiwewewe.

Over the past few years, Slizer has graced the annual Tongai Moyo commemorations where she has also had a chance to share the stage with local pole dancers and singers Beverly Sibanda and Zoey Sifelani.

Blessed with beauty and a flexible body, Slizer’s strength lies in her energetic stage work which has won her admiration from fans across the region.

One thing that you can’t take away from the diva is her ability to gyrate in an amazing, but enthralling way.

In Zimbabwe, she has collaborated with several musicians and this has even made her more popular among local music fanatics.

Slizer is being accompanied by fellow Botswana musician Franco, and the two go far in terms of their artistic careers.

As she started her music career over a decade ago, she was engaged as a backing vocalist for various renowned Batswana groups, including Franco.

Today, we welcome Slizer at the Private Lounge in Harare as she leads a pack of talented musicians and other celebrities in a night that will officially launch her weekend gig diary that includes concerts in Chitungwiza tomorrow, Zvishavane on Saturday and the last family show earmarked for Harare Gardens.

The last time Slizer has been to Zimbabwe she has given her best performance and from the feedback from our patrons, she is a sure crowd favourite.

What makes Slizer outstanding is her stage presence — the torn jeans which have become her trademark and her raunchy and sexy dances.

Usually accompanied by a troupe of female dancers who are equally-talented and well prepared for the task, on a good day the Botswana singer can rise to the occasion.

This weekend’s shows will see Slizer share the stage with sungura music star Alick Macheso, a feature she will cherish for a long time.

Macheso and Slizer have shared the stage in the past; hence this encounter will bring a lot of memories for both singers.

Macheso is always open to music collaborations and I am sure he will take this opportunity to do something with the songstress.

Peter Moyo and Slizer’s collaborative performances have been many and were cemented by Slizer’s participation in Tongai Moyo’s commemoration gigs.

While the two have already done a duet song, more could be done to record more songs.

These collaborations, if done well can create stage synergies in which both artistes can benefit; like holding live shows in both countries.

A talented musician, Slizer was engaged by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) in 2011 to produce songs promoting Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.

As part of fulfilling her obligations with ZTA Slizer toured the country’s tourist resorts and performed at the UNWTO conference held in Victoria Falls.

In interacting with Slizer when she is in Zimbabwe I have also learnt how she loves working with children through her humanitarian initiative dubbed “Love A Child” where she has taken several underprivileged children under her care.

For her, it is satisfying always when you give something back to the community, especially the less fortunate ones.

I wish Slizer and Franco all the best as they hold concerts at the weekend, and that they should also look at collaborating with local musicians who they work with as they are on the tour of duty.

As for pole dancers Zoey and Bev, my wish is for these two to team up with Slizer and produce a combined dance musical video — I am sure it would be a hit with locals.