Reason for alledged Bulawayo hotel rates increase ‘not justifiable’ – govt

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Priscah Mupfumira has issued a statement on the alleged hotel rates increase for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

In the statement responding to the idea that some rates have gone through the roof for the period she said:

Whilst it is an understandable and widely accepted notion that supply and demand determine the prices of goods and services, providers of services and goods should not take advantage of the customers. Price hikes should be within reasonable and justifiable levels. The kind of price increases being alledged in Bulawayo and said to be triggered by demand far outstripping supply are not justifiable. We expect the hospitality sector to be responsible and to exercise restraint while conducting their businesses in an ethical manner.

In a statement Holiday Inn Bulawayo said in response in the Herald that raised the issue:

The hotel has received a total of over 800 requests for accommodation against an inventory of 157 guest rooms…
We want to put it on record that the rate mentioned in the article is not for a single room but it is for a double room on dinner bed and breakfast.

The Herald had reported:

Holiday Inn Bulawayo has raised rates to RTGS$1 400 for a single room, from the current RTGS$325, while an executive room will cost RTGS$ 2 000 from RTGS$450.
At the official US dollar exchange rate, the price for a single room will be about US$480.

It is a right old mess really. Which is kinda the same price as five star in Sun City at the same time? A high volume time.

Mupfumira also hadded

The Ministry is in engagement with the Operators, Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe and the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe in an attempt to amicably resolve the problem as a matter of urgency.

Issamess.