AVERAGE hotel occupancy of Zvishavane’s Pote Hotel has been hovering around 70% in the first half of the year, an official has said.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
The hotel is a subsidiary of Pote Holdings, which has interests in supermarkets, hardware and general dealers and transport businesses.
Pote Hotel manager Victor Mavingire told NewsDay in a telephone interview that business in the first half of the year was good due to sporting and other leisure activities taking place in the small, but vibrant mining town of Zvishavane.
“Hotel occupancy since the beginning of the year has been rising. On average it was 70% for the first half of the year. Now we are in the peak period and our occupancy is hovering between 85%-90%,” Mavingire said.
“Basically, the hotel industry is busier at the end of the year due to corporate meetings and get-together parties among others. So we anticipate a slight increase from the current figures in business. Currently, we are a two-star hotel and we are looking forward to be upgraded to a three-star hotel.”
Mavingire said the tough operating environment was affecting business as a number of clients wanted to do business on credit basis. He said the hotel was poised for growth after Midlands State University opened a branch in Zvishavane.
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The hotel is located 800 metres from the Zvishavane central business district in the mining town famed for its platinum, gold, chrome and diamond deposits. It was established in 2012, initially as a lodge, before being upgraded to a one-star hotel in September 2013.
