By Masimba Gomo
Key players in Zimbabwe’s tourism industry have welcomed government’s Tuesday decision to review and streamline the country’s complex web of tourism licences, permits, levies and fees, describing it as a long-overdue intervention that will reduce costs and improve competitiveness.
Elephant Experience Marketing Manager, Ms Janice Ncube, praised the move as “a positive step towards creating a more enabling business environment.”
“For a long time, we’ve been operating under a heavy regulatory burden that made it difficult to remain competitive regionally and globally,” Ncube said. “By eliminating unjustifiable fees and streamlining overlapping licences, Government is not only reducing the cost of doing business but also encouraging investment, innovation and growth in the sector.”
Ncube added that the review would allow tourism operators to redirect more resources toward enhancing service delivery, guest experiences, and promotional efforts to position Zimbabwe as a top travel destination.
Echoing these sentiments, the Acting President of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, Ms Emmah Kativu, said the reform follows persistent lobbying by the Tourism Business Council over several years.
“We welcome this development to give the industry much-needed relief on the multiplicity, duplication and costs that exist on licences, permits and levies,” Kativu said. “While these have now been tabled, we await a final schedule to assess impacts and adjust accordingly.”
The government’s decision is expected to bring Zimbabwe’s tourism regulatory framework in line with regional standards, improving ease of doing business and attracting both domestic and international investment in the sector.
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