By BRIAN HATYOKA –
LIVINGSTONE Mayor Eugene Mapuwo has implored operators in the tourism and hospitality industry to improve on their service delivery and professional competencies to attract tourists.
Mr Mapuwo said that modern travellers had high expectations for not just friendly service, but also professional competence to enhance the unique destination experiences they were seeking.
The mayor was happy that the tourism and hospitality industry was among the most important areas driving Zambia’s economic growth.
Mr Mapuwo was speaking in Livingstone on Monday night when he officiated at the Long Service Award ceremony of Minor Hotels Zambia for 135 workers who have worked continuously at Royal Livingstone Hotel and AVANI Victoria Falls Resort for five, 10 and 15  years.
“The hotel and hospitality sector especially is an essential cornerstone of employment creation and rural development, as well as one of the largest sources of foreign exchange,” Mr Mapuwo said.
“This places Zambia on a highly competitive global playing field. I urge operators to up their service delivery and competencies as modern travellers have high expectations for not just friendly service, but also professional competence to enhance the unique destination experiences they are seeking out.”
He was happy that Minor Hotels Zambia highlighted skills and human resources as one of its strategic priorities.
“This underpins their commitment to empowering team members through
continuous training and education, so that they can contribute towards providing quality services to all the guests visiting the Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara and AVANI Victoria Falls Resort,” Mr Mapuwo said.
“I am aware of the positive impact Minor Hotels Zambia’s development programmes are making and these include internships, learnerships, education and training programmes.”
Mr Mapuwo urged Minor Hotels Zambia to continue investing in skills development and training programmes to ensure that they created a sufficient pool for skills to meet current and future needs across all levels.
“I urge you to build a society that prizes excellence and rewards effort, which shuns laziness and incompetence,” Mr Mapuwo said.
“Therefore, to all team members, the enhanced service delivery to guests depends upon accountable, efficient and effective administration.”
Mr Mapuwo also commended Minor Hotels Zambia for its numerous corporate social responsibility initiatives that continued to change hundreds of lives of the underprivileged within the Livingstone community.
Minor Hotels Zambia general manager Imran Changezi said the organisation would continue motivating workers.
Mr Changezi congratulated the workers for their loyalty and dedication to the company for many years.
Minor Hotels Zambia human resource manager Shupa Munkombwe saluted the workers for contributing to the success of the organisation.