Bulawayo tourism operators hike rates

Business
TOURISM operators in Bulawayo recently hiked their rates by 200% to cash in on increased demand during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority said last week. 

The increase in the rates came despite poor service delivery and deteriorating standards in lodges and hotels in the city. Karikoga Kaseke, ZTA chief executive officer, said last week that the recently held ZITF brought to the fore several revelations that the authority was concerned with, if the country was to become a successful conference and exhibition destination.

“A snap survey revealed that hotels and lodges had increased their rates by between 30% and 200% above their published rack rates,” said Kaseke. “The authority has received several complaints about the standards and level of service delivery in the Bulawayo hospitality industry.”

A rack rate is the inflated price that a person pays at a hotel if he or she deals directly with the hotel when booking a room other than doing so through a travel agent.Kaseke admitted that standards had fallen and said the authority had told hotels and lodges to improve on certain areas if they were to retain their ratings.

Kaseke said Holiday Inn recently met the grade for franchise purposes and exhibited its sample rooms at the trade fair though issues to do with service delivery remained the  authority’s concern.

— BY LESLEY WURAYAYI