The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has warned players in the hospitality and tourism industry to strictly abide by the stipulated COVID1-9 regulations, failure to which will result in the closure of operations.
The government recently relaxed regulations for the in the Tourism and Hospitality through the Statutory Instrument 099 of 2020 where all formal businesses were allowed to resume operations following the national lockdown while abiding by the set requirements to operate under level 2 of the lockdown.
Further relaxation of the lockdown regulations was granted through SI 160 of 2020, whereby sit-in guests in restaurants were allowed.
The government went further to approve the COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocols for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector but some operators have been found wanting as their patrons are not following the strict regulations.
“It has however come to the attention of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority with great concern that some operators are not following the guidelines and protocols as well as the conditions set out in the above mentioned statutory instruments.
“Operators are advised that the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority regulatory and quality assurance team, in conjunction with the relevant arms of Government, will be rigorously monitoring and enforcing compliance. The exercise will be ongoing throughout the lockdown period to ensure full compliance and will cover the whole country,” said the ZTA in a statement.
It further stated that tourism operators and consumers of tourism products and services are urged to comply with the approved general guidelines for the tourism industry as any breach will leave the Authorities with no other option than to close those operations found in breach.
Zimbabwe has a recent surge in the number of COVID-19 cases with the majority being local transmissions, which in most cases, do not have traces.
This has forced the government to reconsider the lockdown rules and President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to announce a further tightening of the restrictions.
23 people have died from the virus in the country of the 1362 cumulative cases recorded since the first case was recorded in March.
