Perceptions of stakeholders on tourism turn around strategies in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Several studies carried out by different researchers on turnaround strategies for tourism have not explored the perceptions of stakeholders on these strategies as they are employed by national tourism organisations (NTOs). Given the strong relationship between positive perceptions and socio economic viability in areas of high tourism dependence, it is considered prudent to ensure that all stakeholders are included in this concerned partnership (Bierman 2003). If lack of knowledge of stakeholder perceptions on NTO turnaround strategies is not addressed, public-private partnerships will remain very difficult to harness and national tourism organizations such as the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) will continue to fight lone battles. The study therefore sought to address the question: how do Zimbabwe‟s tourism and hospitality stakeholders perceive the strategies being employed by the ZTA in turning around Zimbabwe‟s tourism industry. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Data was collected during the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Travel and Tourism Africa Fair 2013. It was generally discovered that the ZTA does not consult widely when coming up with its strategies. The study also found out that ZTA‟s strategies are quite visible in the market as they try hard to turn around the fortunes of Zimbabwe‟s tourism. However, most of the strategies are not effective as they lack stakeholder support, therefore, the study recommended that the ZTA engages its stakeholders more widely.