Hotels and Cutlery Associations (HCA) has attributed the closure of most lodges and guest houses in Solwezi to the reduced number of local and international tourists.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS yesterday, HCA North-Western Regional Secretary, David Sondoyi said there has been a drop in the number of tourists visiting the district since 2015 hence the hospitality industry has been affected.
“In 2015 there was a high demand for accommodation because most investors would come from outside the district for mining activities, however there has been a shift from that as most of the mining activities have gone down,” he said.
Mr. Sondoyi further said the lodges and guests houses owners have since decided to close or rent them out as houses but this has not helped the situation.
He however, said that the district has many other attractions which need to be publicized apart from the mining sector.
Mr. Sondoyi encouraged lodge and guest houses owners to diversify in their businesses than depending on one business venture.
He implored them to also invest in marketing and advertising to make their properties known to the public.
Exaggerated rentals & charges on those sub-standard lodges & guest houses(brothels) are the main cause.
so owning a brothel is now hospitality
What an advise mwebantu? Hospitality business can only survive and become profitable if and when operating systems are in place, properly installed, cleaner and hygenic toilets/beddings and indeed; sorroundings etc and NOT the way most (if not all of them) in areas like Solwezi are looked after. Today you find there’s water in the toilet or shower/bath and tomorrow there’s nothing, no bathing soap, toilet tissues etc which most of the time are stolen by workers themselves.
Just improve your standards. The other thing is most mines have built their own dwelling hostels.
Poor state of the roadwork is one contributor