Source: Hotels offer free accommodation for stranded tourists – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 21, 2017
HOTEL operators in Victoria Falls reportedly provided free accommodation to hundreds of tourists left stranded at the weekend following the last-minute cancellation of their flights following a rift between Air Zimbabwe and South Africa Airways over non-payment of permit fees.
By Nokuthaba Dlamini
Hundreds of passengers that were booked on British and South African Airways flights out of Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Harare airports failed to travel as scheduled on Saturday after their flights were cancelled by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.
Employers’ Association for Tourism and Safari Operations president, Clement Mukwasi told Southern Eye yesterday that they had to come up with quick solutions for their clients despite non-communication from the aviation industry.
“After the development, plans were immediately put in place in hotels and lodges. Tourists were taken to Zambia where they flew out, with different aviation companies that are accredited to land in Livingstone, but, however, not everyone had such a privilege because of space in flights,” he said.
“Others who were booked in hotels that they were staying in, extended their holiday pending the resolution of the problem and they are there up to now.
“In the aviation industry, if you fail to fly out your client, you pay for them, so there is no prejudice on the part of the tourists to the extent I know.”
Mukwasi added: “It’s an inconvenience, which we frown upon as an industry. However, we urge Transport ministers of both countries to quickly resolve the matter otherwise the damage to the business may be irreparable. As we speak some of the clients have cancelled their bookings stating that they feared being stranded in a foreign land.”
Yesterday, normal flights between the two countries resumed following resolution of the impasse.
COMMENTS
This is great news of yet another of a 1,000 cock ups. Zambia must be licking their lips.
Goodbye tourists and FX from the main hub of the industry that is left.
This is the model of perfect achievement. A clown in a circus and monkeys in the trees would have a better clue.
And you will continue to whine and berate anything that happens in Zim. Those tourists were lucky to get free accommodation, because in Europe or elsewhere they would have been stuck at the airport and left to fend for themselves! Vic falls is full, I was there last month and the service and professionalism of the Zimbo staff was appreciated by my European guests and they’ll be back. So take your snide ” clown and monkey”comments and stick em.