Tourism players call for Gvt rethink on quarantine measures
Ratidzai Matumbura /Maxwell T Kabotsa
VICTORIA FALLS-Victoria Falls tourism players and residents are disconcerted by Government’s “knee jerk” decision to quarantine returning residents as well as visitors at their own cost for days recommended by WHO, even if they present negative PCR test results. Residents said the move will hamper tourism in the resort town.
According to residents who spoke to Community Podium, the restrictions imposed will disrupt the business operations in the tourism sector and would be an unwelcome major drawback for cross-border traders in Victoria falls.
Mr Bryson Tivatyi of Wilderness Safaris Guide ,a renowned tour guide in Victoria falls expressed dismay at the news.
“We are now having to grapple with cancellations on our bookings from the tourists. About 90% of the international tourists who had booked with us have cancelled their trips. The quarantine requirements are very expensive even for well-heeled tourists. Hotels and airports are still incurring overhead expenses yet there are no visitors to generate income for the establishments,” said Tivatyi.
When quizzed on the way forward, Tivatyi suggested that the government should provide booster vaccines in resort areas.
“The nation should procure booster vaccines by using money from international bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and provide them in and around tourism destinations. Such a pragmatic approach would reduce cancellations and save our businesses from teetering on the brink of collapse,” he said.
Mr John Matumbura, a tour guide contended that the latest quarantine requirements simply mean that international tourism is closed. He also urged the government to consider a rethink on the issue.
“The latest quarantine requirements are crippling our line of work .This is effectively a ban on international tourism. It is inconceivably expensive and time-consuming for tourists to be quarantined at their own cost.This knee jerk, ominous decision will result in many people losing their jobs in Victoria falls since the majority of workers are employed in the tourism sector,” he said.
Another resident of the resort city, Michael Zuze also stressed the fact that most of the businesses in the tourism industry will shut down due to loss of international clients as a result of the latest quarantine requirements.
“Businesses in the tourism sector will close down as a result of the quarantine requirements.We are now going back to the previous situation where businesses had closed due to Covid 19 restrictions. A dark cloud is looming and poverty levels will rise,” he said.
The latest development is also a bitter pill to swallow for cross-border traders. Thandiwe Moyo, a cross-border trader could not hold back her sadness and disappointment as she bemoaned the situation that complicates her trade through the high cost of quarantine and business time wasted while in quarantine.
“Having to be quarantined at my own cost is not easy as the costs are more than the profit. The cost of trading is now too high and time would be wasted during the quarantine,” said Moyo.
However, investigations by Community Podium have established that the imposed restrictions are yet to be effected at the Victoria Falls border post and other border posts around the country.
Meanwhile the Government recently rejected a request for US$100 million in grants by the tourism sector, arguing that the government is not in a position to extend big grants to the tourism sector.
In an interview with Business Digest earlier this week, Tourism Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu said the best government could come up with was to build a “solid revolving facility” which tourism firms hit by Covid-19-induced lockdowns could tap into but later pay back.
