TOURISM operators and hoteliers in Victoria Falls have
resolved to suspend operations to prevent spread of the deadly Covid-19
(coronavirus), which has seen the country recording three positive cases.
Lately, players in the industry have suffered massive
cancellations of bookings resulting in room occupancy rate dropping to average
two percent in some hotels while others are already at zero. Three quarters of
jobs have since been lost after employers terminated contracts while some
workers have been sent on forced leave or placed on half salary because of lack
of business.
Africa Albida Tourism (AAT), a hospitality group with
hotels, lodges and restaurants across Southern Africa yesterday announced that
it will suspend operations at all its properties in Victoria Falls for the next
three months starting on Tuesday next week. In a statement, the hospitality
group’s chief executive, Mr Ross Kennedy, said the affected properties are
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria Falls Safari
Suites, Lokuthula Lodges, The Boma Dinner & Drum Show. Operations will
resume on July 1, subject to the prevailing health situation.
“After deep and careful consideration with our board,
shareholders, works council and employees we have made the difficult but
correct decision to temporarily cease operations at all our Victoria Falls
properties for the next three months. Our last day of operation will be March
31, 2020,” said Mr Kennedy.
He said the group considered health and welfare of
employees’ families, community and tourists.
“The plan is to commence operation on July 1 but this may
be further extended or even shortened depending on the prevailing situation.
This is a time of huge uncertainty in our country and across the world and we
as AAT have to do our part to curtail the spread of the virus,” said Mr
Kennedy.
The reservations office will remain open while a skeleton
staff will be on standby to deal with affected clients. An official from the
Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe said operators had been told to follow
suit.
“We have engaged the leadership and the industry that if we
all care for all our staff we must follow suit and do what’s right. We can
recover money but lives lost are lost for good and the families will have lost
breadwinners,” said the official on condition of anonymity.
He said the tourism industry was facing shutdown as a
result of coronavirus which has resulted in massive cancellation of trips and
bookings worldwide.
Some small lodges in Hwange have also reportedly stopped
booking people while some businesses and organisations have also closed shop.
Meanwhile, Victoria Falls municipal police fought running
battles with Zambian vendors yesterday as residents expressed concern about
laxity of authorities at the country’s ports of entry. The vendors cross
through Victoria Falls border post every morning to sell vegetables, tomatoes,
green mealies and other farm produce as well as clothes and return to their
country in the evening.
Authorities at the border said they were waiting for
official communication to close the border.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has also said
the industry is uniquely exposed with an estimated 50 million jobs set to be
lost globally. WTTC appealed to governments to come up with tourism funds to
support the industry. Herald
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