Bulawayo hotels and lodges worse than Harare counterparts

Bulawayo lodges and hotels continue to record low occupancy rates compared to their Harare counterparts and standard in Bulawayo are appalling and there are lodges that are an eyesore. This was said by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive office Karikoga Kaseke in Harare yesterday.

At least 10 lodges and one five-star hotel in Bulawayo risk losing their ratings if they fail to address the deteriorating standards and service delivery, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) said yesterday.

ZTA chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke told a Press conference in Harare the tourism sector had been affected by the state of the economy.

He said Bulawayo lodges continued to record low occupancy rates compared to their Harare counterparts and standards were deteriorating.

"The authority received several complaints about the standards and level of service delivery in the Bulawayo hospitality industry," Kaseke said.

He said the hotels were given a grace period of six months to improve their standards adding that Holiday Inn had passed the test.

"In terms of services delivery they have to improve their standards," Kaseke said.

He said standards at one of the major hotels in the city were "appalling and there are a few lodges that are an eyesore. I will not mention them because we have communicated with them."

Kaseke said Bulawayo was one major city affected by the state of the economy as many companies had closed down.