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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Business Reporter —
THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority is scouting for investors to pour in $5,6 million into the firm to rehabilitate and upgrade its accommodation units so as to maximise revenue from tourist arrivals.

ZIMPARKS operates 250 accommodation units across the country, which have a current carrying capacity of 880 beds and is now targeting to have them all upgraded to standards of four and five star hotel status.

The rehabilitation and upgrade will be staggered into stages with Lake Chivero and Matopos facilities earmarked for the first stage. Zimparks public relations manager Mr Tinashe Farawo, confirmed the development that he said is meant to give the authority a competitive advantage over other players in the accommodation business and ultimately lead the parks authority to profitability.

“We are scouting for investors to upgrade or rehabilitate our accommodation units to at least four and five star hotel status,” said Mr Farawo.

“Standards at these facilities have been going down over the years due to a number of challenges we have been facing so we want them to return to profitability,” said Mr Farawo.

Mr Farawo also said the parks will be repairing access roads to the accommodation units so as to outdo the competition. He said the plan is to repay the investment using proceeds from the rehabilitated facilities.

Zimparks is embarking on an offensive to generate cash flows from tourism, which is on an upward trajectory. Statistics from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), shows that 2017 arrivals went up by six percent to 479 718 in the first quarter compared to the same period last year with 450 572 tourists having visited the country in the first quarter.

Hotel occupancy also rose in the first quarter this year to 38 percent from 36 percent last year. ZTA is targeting to grow arrivals this year from last year’s figure of 2,1 million tourists which earned the country $890 million.

The move comes as Government, in July, announced that it has stopped funding the Zimparks amid expectation that it must operate as a commercial entity.

Addressing Members of Parliament at the Zimbabwe parliamentarian conservation caucus workshop in July, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri also noted that Zimparks generates 60 percent ($28 million) of its revenue from hunting.