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Bulawayo’s prime accommodation service provider, the Glen Lodge, located in Newton West has expanded and upgraded its facilities to international standards.
Speaking to this publication on the sidelines of the ongoing Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo, Mrs. Beauty Bhulu, the Founder and Managing Director of Glen Lodge, said the facility is moving with times and is now offering conferencing facilities for up to 200 people per sitting.
“At the time we opened Glen Lodge in 2009, we had the capacity to host only 100 delegates at our conference centre. Due to the high demand for our services, we expanded the conference room. We now host 200 delegates at one go. Added to this, we now have spacious parking space.
“Initially we had 24 rooms but we now have increased to 33. All the rooms are ensuite. The reason why we have witnessed this phenomenal growth is because of our collaboration with tourism industry stakeholders, riding on the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) initiative which is being spearheaded by the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA). Bulawayo is home to a number of international fora like the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Mine Entra, and the Sanganai/Hlanganai World Tourism Expo which results in a high demand for accommodation. Working with other tourism sector players, we are trying our level best to meet the high demand for accommodation,” Mrs Bhulu said.
In terms of accommodation, Glen Lodge has 2 Presidential Rooms that are set to give royal treatment in style and class. The Presidential Rooms come with a sitting area where a couple can relax while having refreshments. The rooms come with fridges, air conditioning and an executive bathroom with a shower and a king club.
There are also deluxe, executive, and standard rooms. There is a full bouquet of DSTV, free reliable Wi-Fi, and a big swimming pool surrounded by relaxing beds. There are also lush green loans and trees for guests to relax.
Apart from offering excellent accommodation, Glen Lodge offers tour and transport services to any place in Zimbabwe and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Among the fleet of cars are 2 Toyota Quantum mini-buses and 1 executive Mercedes Benz car.
Mrs. Bhulu is also playing a leading role in human capacity development by taking students for internships in the tourism and hospitality industry.
Speaking to this publication, Lucky Ndlovu (23), a student of tourism and hospitality management at Lupane State University expressed his appreciation of Mrs. Bhulu.
“I would like to express my gratitude and honour to Mrs. Bhulu for the opportunity she gave me to train to offer tourism services to a variety of clients across the country and even abroad. I am gaining the much-needed experience that will blend well with the theory we learn at school. My stint at Glen Lodge provides me with the practical side of the tourism industry. Combining the theory and practice will make me a better graduate,” Ndlovu said.