Zim committed to tourist satisfaction

THE government is committed to ensuring that the well-being and satisfaction of tourists in Zimbabwe is strictly safeguarded.

The development follows an incident where police officers fined a South African tourist US$30 at a roadblock in Chipinge, Manicaland, for allegedly failing to carry four emergency warning triangles.

The encounter came to light after the tourist posted a video online describing his experience with the officers.

In a statement yesterday, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) chief executive officer George Manyaya said tourists must enjoy their experiences without disturbance.

“Zimbabwe, A Friend to All and an Enemy to None, reaffirmed its commitment to tourist satisfaction as the minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, met seasoned South African tourist George Van Deventer and his team… who are in the country promoting Destination Zimbabwe.

“The minister personally apologised for the inconveniences they encountered during their tour, stressing the government’s position that tourists must enjoy their experiences without disturbance. Despite the challenges, the delegation commended Zimbabwe for taking tourism seriously, applauding the exceptional hospitality and the efficient systems at the Beitbridge Border Post, which made their entry smooth and welcoming,” Manyaya said.

He added that the affected tourists have since applauded the country’s hospitality.

“They described Zimbabwe as the crown jewel of tourism in the Sadc region, praising its warm-hearted and cheerful people, peaceful atmosphere and breathtaking natural beauty. Expressing deep gratitude, the team said Zimbabwe’s positive and resilient Tourism story deserves to be shared across the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police commended the tourist for bringing this incident to attention.

National police spokesperson Paul Nyathi confirmed an internal investigation has been launched.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has noted with concern the social media incident involving police officers in Chipinge and does not condone unprofessional conduct by members.

“The police command is, therefore, taking action with a view of continuously giving the public quality service and diligently adhere to policing values,” Nyathi said.