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Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Correspondent
Players in the hospitality industry have been urged to invest in state-of-the-art conference facilities in order to decentralise national and international business meetings from traditional conference facilities in Harare and Victoria falls.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) President Innocent Manyera says players in various tourism regions should combine efforts to attract business meetings through constructing conferencing facilities.

“A large conferencing facility for example in the Midlands Province will divert meetings from Harare as this is a central location. The Zanu-PF Convention Centrer in Gweru is a tourism complement that brings business for the hospitality sector,” he said.

The call comes after Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira, together with the Zimbabwe Tourism Association (ZTA) have embarked on a re-engagement tour to major tourism markets.

The efforts are meant to get Zimbabwe back on the tourism elite destinations map and increase tourist arrivals, and ultimately increase the sector’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Mr Manyera said the packaging of tourism facilities would also attract visitors.

“Packaging of tourism offers is essential, for example Midlands hospitality can combine outdoor jungle facilities at Antelope Park together with heritage tours at Naletali Ruins so that you meet the diverse needs of your visitors,” he said.

The HAZ president’s sentiments come amid revelations that the famous Village Lodge in Gweru is set to construct a state-of-the-art conference centre that accommodates up to 10 000 guests.

“Our two-year investment programme will see the completion of a state-of-the-art conference facility here at Village Lodge.

“We have travelled to China to get an appreciation of the latest conferencing facilities and we promise that by 2020, Gweru will be able to host  international conferences,” Village Lodge managing director Mrs Naume Size said.