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Poor communication networks hamper business in Vumba

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DESPITE being regarded as one of the most magnificent and scenic areas in the Eastern Highlands, Vumba is a neglected tourist attraction area due to poor road and mobile phone networks, as well as veld fires, stakeholders, who operate in the hotels and lodges business in the area have said.

DESPITE being regarded as one of the most magnificent and scenic areas in the Eastern Highlands, Vumba is a neglected tourist attraction area due to poor road and mobile phone networks, as well as veld fires, stakeholders, who operate in the hotels and lodges business in the area have said.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

The stakeholders called on the government to refurbish the roads and improve mobile network systems. Players in the sector recently held a two-day workshop at Forest Hills resort in Vumba, where stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry had gathered to review the Tourism Act that is set to be aligned with the new Constitution.

Vumba is famous for its scenic mountain ranges, botanical gardens, breezy weather and picturesque woodlands. It has several hotels, lodges and cottages, which have in the past enjoyed brisk business from foreign tourists and locals.

But it seems the area has lost its glamour and business is on a downward spiral due potholed roads among other issues.

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA),which collects 2% of the money collected from tourists per month, is accused of only focusing on Victoria Falls and Nyanga in marketing.

Nyangani

Stakeholders accused ZTA of not marketing Vumba extensively.

Forest Hills Resort manager, Patrick Muponda, said Vumba had lot of potential if well-marketed and if potholed roads were repaired.

“Vumba has a lot of potential if a few things can be addressed. There are potholes starting from about 8km outside Mutare. This is not good for business. We have poor network reception here, while other areas have no network at all,’’ he said.

“Even landlines are not working in some parts, there was a lot of vandalism around 2007 to 2010, where thieves looted copper wires and since then, the matter has not been addressed. And the issue of too many road blocks can turn away tourists.”

Muponda said the privately-owned Agripa Makadzange resort was making brisk business mainly from conferences.

“Business is about communication. It needs a lot of marketing, but if there is poor network, we suffer, luckily we have an office in Harare, we are making our business through conferencing,” he said.

Vumba is also famous for ancient Leopard Rock Hotel, Seldorm Scene Cottages, which is well known for beautiful bird watching views, White House Inn, Eden Lodge and Brackenridge resort among others.

Kwayedza Lodge managing director, William Chatigu, sang from the same hymn book, saying there was need for the ZTA to strongly market other areas besides Victoria Falls.

He said some of the scenic woodlands were being burnt down while the Mutare-Vumba road was in a bad state.

“We have issues of bad roads that need to be addressed especially for our domestic tourism. Our area was also tarnished as an unsafe tourism destination since the land reform programme in 2000, so we need a lot of marketing. We are urging ZTA to market our areas apart from Victoria Falls,” Chatigu said.

“There are other attractive areas, especially in the Eastern Highlands, that if well marketed can attract more tourists. “People need to be made aware about the importance of our natural environment. We need to preserve the woodlands and beautiful scenic areas in Vumba.”Chatigu said.

Various stakeholders, operating from the Vumba catchment area in the industry cited an eyesore along Mutare-Vumba Road, the Mutare airdrome, which they said should be refurbished to entice tourists, who do not like driving long distances.

They also pointed out the string of road blocks along the highways, claiming these intimidated tourists.

Victoria Falls enjoys direct flights boosting the number of tourists, which visit the area.

A director at one of the leading lodges, who refused to be named, said ZTA should work hard to market their area.

“I think ZTA has a lot of work to do to market us because we are lagging behind despite being one of the best tourist attractions in the country.”

Outgoing Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe president, Tamuka Macheka, said he was aware of the challenges faced by Vumba. On the other hand, ZTA chief executive officer, Karikoga Kaseke, said the poor road network in Vumba roads was not on Cabinet’s priority list.

“The issue of Vumba roads from, the Cabinet side, is not our priority, but those are issues that can be looked at later on,’’ he said.