Michael Nott on behalf of Destination Zimbabwe spoke to Brian Nykutombwa, the Vice President of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe, to find out more about HAZ and his personal experiences in the hospitality industry. Apart from his role in HAZ Brian is also the General Manager of the renowned Montclair Hotel and Casino, so he has many years of experience and expertise in all aspects of the business.

Destination Zimbabwe (DZ): Is it correct to say that HAZ is a corporate member of the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe? TBCZ is the umbrella organisation whose members include Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, The Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents, The Board of Airline Representatives, The Boating Association of Zimbabwe, Catering Employers Association, Vehicle Rental Association, Tour Operators Association – and others? What’s the relationship, if any, between TBCZ, HAZ and ZTA?

Brian Nyakutombwa (BN): Yes, HAZ falls under TBCZ where it represents the hospitality sector of the Tourism and Hospitality industry. ZTA is a parastatal entity formed by an Act of Parliament through The Tourism Act Chapter 14:20 of 1996 with a mandate of developing, managing, promoting and marketing Zimbabwe as a tourist destination in both the local and international markets. TBCZ is the voice of Tourism Business representing the entire scope of Travel and Tourism enterprises, ranging from operators of hotels, retail travel agencies, safari and hunting operators to car rental and activities companies, all organised into sub-sector member associations.

DZ: Could you tell us about the history of HAZ – when and why HAZ was founded and the journey of HAZ over the years?

BN: The Asso­ci­ation’s ori­gins date back to 1904 and became to be known as the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Zimbabwe (HARAZ), but the cur­rent organ­iz­a­tion (HAZ) was formed in 1988. The vision of the Association is to be the premier organisation of choice deliv­er­ing unpar­alleled value to the hos­pit­al­ity sec­tor. Our mission is defined as delivering value to mem­bers with com­mon interests through lob­by­ing, capa­city build­ing, qual­ity assur­ance, busi­ness link­ages, invest­ment pro­mo­tion, mar­ket­ing research and devel­op­ment and inform­a­tion dis­sem­in­a­tion and tech­no­lo­gical advance­ment.

The aims and objectives of the Association can be set out as follows:

1. Rep­res­ent­a­tion to gov­ern­ment on policy issues to encour­age the right envir­on­ment for growth of industry.
2. Inform­ing mem­bers of the rel­ev­ant legis­la­tion, reg­u­la­tion and top­ical issues to enable them to improve per­form­ance.
3. Liais­ing with sup­pli­ers to make sure that the industry is adequately ser­viced and equipped.
4. Pro­mot­ing pro­fes­sional stand­ards and train­ing among mem­bers, in the interest of effi­ciency and guest sat­is­fac­tion.

DZ: How did COVID affect HAZ?

BN: Since most operators had to shut down their businesses in response to lockdown restrictions revenue generation was greatly affected and subsequently the payment of subscriptions to the Association was also affected. The regular holding of meetings by members and most membership activities were also curtailed as a result of Covid19.

DZ: I understand HAZ members include hotels, restaurants, lodges, clubs as well as suppliers, trades and related organisations. Are hotels and others required to become members or is it on a voluntary basis?

BN: Joining HAZ is voluntary with those eligible being encouraged to do so, so that the Association creates the critical mass necessary for the industry to speak and lobby with one voice on issues of mutual concern.

DZ: How does a new hotel or lodge register with HAZ to become a member? Are there any fees involved?

BN: The HAZ Secretariat is readily on hand to assist those who would like to join the Association, and yes, there is a joining fee and quarterly subscriptions which are categorized according to property size.

DZ: What are the benefits to an organisation, like a hotel, after becoming a member of HAZ?

BN: Once an organisation becomes a member, they now belong to a big family that has professionals and experienced people ready to offer advice and guidance. As an Association HAZ has regional chapters around the country which bring together operators or members in a common tourist destination for constant interactions and the implementation of ideas on how to develop tourism and hospitality in their destination.

DZ: Does HAZ offer any advertising or promotions for their members like hotels or lodges?

BN: Post-Covid19 HAZ would like to resume the marketing mandate for its membership by forming synergies with printed and electronic media agencies which will constantly feature the different tourist destinations of Zimbabwe which are home to HAZ members. The engagement with Destination Zimbabwe is one such initiative and we look forward to more editions that will benefit HAZ members and the regions they operate from.

DZ: Does HAZ offer any training courses for hotel or restaurant staff?

BN: HAZ acts as a facilitator for trainings that would be provided by agents specialized in training and skills development. It is actually one of the mandates of the Association for its membership.

DZ: Could you tell me about your time at HAZ. How long have you been Vice President or on the board? What are your duties and responsibilities at HAZ? What have been some of your biggest challenges and greatest achievements at HAZ?

BN: I have been involved with HAZ since 2007 and have been VP since 2019. My duties involve working with the Executive Committee to implement the Association’s strategy which is moulded around the attainment of its vision and mission. Keeping the membership motivated and wanting to remain a member of HAZ has been a challenge especially given the tough socio-economic environment that has confronted businesses in the last decade or so; but I am happy to say as the HAZ team we have managed to keep the fire burning by ensuring that HAZ is visible in the right areas and active in delivering on its mandate, and the Association is poised to achieve better results as we continue surging forward despite the adversities which are not unique to Zimbabwe but are a global phenomenon.

DZ: On a personal note, could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you became involved in the tourism and hospitality industry? You are currently the General Manager of Montclair – what was your journey to reach this position? Did you have formal training in hotel management?

BN: I initially wanted to become an accountant or an economist but after high school I found myself doing some temporary teaching before enrolling at the Hotel School in Bulawayo where I studied for a Higher National Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management which I successfully completed after four long years! My professional career then kicked off at The Victoria Falls Hotel where I really cut my teeth in practical hotel management and the experience I gained there was invaluable. Between Victoria Falls Hotel and now at Montclair Hotel and Casino I have worked as a Systems Administrator for one of the big hotel chains in Zimbabwe, an Operations Manager for one of the big fast-food entities in Zimbabwe and a Deputy General Manager and General Manager for yet another hotel chain in Zimbabwe.

DZ: What would your advice be to young people looking at a career in hospitality? How do they break in to profession? What are the best training schools for careers in hospitality?

BN: To the young people aspiring to join the industry I would like to warn them in advance that it is not all about the bling, but there is a lot of HARD WORK and LONG HOURS that have to be devoted to the profession which is driven or fuelled by passion and self-drive. There are a lot of institutions offering Tourism and Hospitality programmes in Zimbabwe and my plea is for them to ensure that their graduands get some good grounding while they are still under their care so that when they are released into the industry they aren’t shocked or frustrated.

DZ: And finally, how do you see the future of the tourism industry in Zimbabwe?

BN: Tourism has a bright future in Zimbabwe and its success is going to be anchored on collaborative efforts from all the parties involved in its development. Tourism is an enabler-driven industry with a multi-faceted value chain that relies on the efficient delivery by other sectors and entities for it to deliver on its mandate of showcasing Zimbabwe’s hospitality for both local and foreign tourists. The industry needs investment in infrastructure that will enable the tourist destinations outside of Victoria Falls to capitalize on the growth of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector which has a lot of potential to spread the benefits of tourism to the whole nation. Human Capital Development is also another key ingredient to a brighter future for the tourism industry in Zimbabwe and more efforts must be applied towards strengthening service delivery and management skills.

From DESTINATION ZW EDITION 2