To complement the hotels business the Group has a tour operations arm – Heritage Expeditions Africa (HExA) which is located in the foyer of the main hotel. HExA offers cultural, natural and historical tours across Zimbabwe and the region including airport transfers. In Harare they offer Sunshine City tours which include visits to cultural centres like the Mbare Township tour as well as visits to Heroes’ Acre. Local wildlife and nature tours include Lake Chivero, Domboshawa, Mukuvisi Woodlands, Haka Game Park, Mbizi Game Park and others. At Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre they also have their Adventure park for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers that includes a zipline fly over the gardens, abseiling and rock wall climbing, the high beam and croc bridge walks, paintball, volley ball and quad-bikes. Not for the faint hearted but great adventures for kids, the young at heart and for team-building exercises.

Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) is a responsible corporate citizen and is mindful of the impact of its business activities on the community and the environment in which it operates. It is in this context that the Company has a structured Corporate Social Investment strategy which defines the objectives, rationale and parameters of its social investment strategy.

The Group’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) approach is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goals for Sustainable Development, are a collection of 17 global goals set out by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The SDGs are part of Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly: “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. That has been shortened to “2030 Agenda”. The SDGs cover social and economic development issues including poverty, hunger, health, education, global warming, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, urbanization, environment and social justice.

Of the 17 SDGs the Company selected three which are aligned to the brand philosophy and characteristics of the hospitality business (it is about delivering excellent guest experience which involves demonstration of concern and caring for our guests at all levels).

• SDG Goal 1:

• End poverty in all its forms everywhere. This SDG speaks to the eradication of extreme poverty.

• SDG Goal 2:

• End hunger, achieve food security and *improved nutrition
  and promote sustainable agriculture.

• SDG Goal 15:

• Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

In partnership with a local non-profit organisation – Community Capacity Building Initiative Centre in Africa (CCBICA) the Group has developed organic nutritional gardens at three of its hotels – the pilot project was rolled out by Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre. The other hotels involved in this project are Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel and The Rainbow Towers Hotel.

The RTG brand philosophy is centred around “freshness” – fresh food, fresh pillow, fresh smile. As a hospitality brand, food is a key element of the product offering. Our guests and society in general are now more health conscious and particular about the food they consume with a preference for organic food. We are therefore able to ensure that we meet this need.

Empowering local communities

Sustainability is at the core of the Group’s CSI efforts, ensuring that the investment is able to empower communities so that they become self- reliant and develop the ability to generate an income. Members
of the local communities are trained by CCBICA. The curricula include training in the production of vegetables and nutritional herbs such as thyme, basil, rosemary, lemon grass and stinging nettle. Trainees are taught the nutritional value of all the plants and how to produce them organically. The courses run for three to nine months after which trainees graduate on completion. Armed with the knowledge gained from the training the communities are able to develop self-sustaining nutritional gardens for consumption and commercial purposes resulting in sustainable development and transformation of lives as they can now generate revenue from the gardens. Over 1000 people have been trained in the past three years, including schools, children’s homes and people with compromised immunity.

This initiative is also in alignment with the Government’s efforts in the promotion of food and nutrition security for all people at all times in Zimbabwe, particularly among the most vulnerable as prescribed by the Food and Nutrition Security Policy launched in 2013.

The pilot project, Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre nutritional garden (which is the largest such garden housed by any hotel in Zimbabwe) has become a conference garden for NGOs and organisations in the food, health and agriculture sectors. They are able to practice and demonstrate the skills learnt from their conferences and workshops. It has also become an attraction for other general conferencing guests who now use their tea and lunch breaks to discover how to improve their nutrition and that of their families.

RTG playing its part in protecting the planet

The environment is an integral part of the tourism product offering. The hospitality business thrives and depends on the flora and fauna as a key selling proposition as this is what attracts tourists to destinations. Corporates must therefore conduct business in a responsible manner that has a minimum impact on the environment, with a focus on conserving and protecting. A focus on education and awareness has seen RTG sponsor and host the annual Environmental Reporter of the Year awards in partnership with Environment Africa. This has created an important vehicle to drive awareness on the importance of greening, the effects of human impact on the environment and educating the public on how they can play a part in protecting the planet.

Clean-up campaigns

Since the launch of the National Clean-up Campaign by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander in Chief Of The Defence Forces His Excellency Dr.E.D. Mnangagwa, all Rainbow Tourism Group hotels participate in the monthly clean-up campaign in their various regions. Cleanliness and hygiene are critical elements to a tourist and this initiative has a positive and long term impact on tourism.

To find out more about the RTG offerings visit their website at rtgafrica.com and follow the Group on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.

From DESTINATION ZW EDITION 1