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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Business Reporter
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is registering impressive response from private sector players on its recently introduced service excellence training initiative that seeks to equip players on important skills needed to make an impression on tourists.

The initiative, which is targeting to improve players on such aspects as good ambassadorship for destination Zimbabwe, handling guests, handling complaints, creating guest memorable experiences, how to increase up-selling among other skills, was taken to Bulawayo last week and 66 participants attended the training.

Bulawayo is key to the country’s overall tourism performance as it is home to some of the country’s leading destinations such as Matopos, Khami Ruins, Tshabalala Game Santuary, Chipangali, Umguza Nature Reserve and the Old Bulawayo Village.

ZTA head corporate affairs Godfrey Koti, said the training programme was important as it seeks to improve the experience of the visitor and thus keep the traffic high and consequently, the much needed receipts.

The tourism body has already done similar programmes in Victoria Falls and Harare and plans are afoot to take it to other prime tourist destinations such as Masvingo, Mutare, Nyanga, Kariba and Chinhoyi.

“The idea is to have a hospitality industry that is second to none in terms of care for clients and customers,” said Mr Koti, “It must be a tool for encouraging clients to want to come back to Zimbabwe or at best stimulate repeat business.

“The response from Bulawayo’s operators was exceptional, we had a total of 66 participants from various organisations,” he said.

The trainings, ZTA said, are done as part of the authority’s Destination Management Division that is responsible for capacitating, developing marketing skills and initiatives within the industry.

Customer relations expert Dr Mthokozisi Nkosi, who is an Executive Director at the Chartered Institute of Customer Relationship Management (CICRM), said the move by ZTA is the most important initiative that has the potential to boost arrivals in line with Government targets.

“Look, when tourists visit Destination Zimbabwe, all they are looking for is a memorable outing one which they will always reminisce about,” said Dr Nkosi.

“So we cannot let people who interact with these key people (tourists) do it without any form of training.

“They need the best training so that they can then be in a position to give the guest a world class reception that the guest so wishes for.

“So I think the tourism body needs to be commended,” he said.