The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has advised that it undertook a staff rationalisation programme whose aim is to right size the organisation in order to establish an efficient, effective and lean operational team.
The Board said that the rationalisation programme is routine sand in line with corporate governance as legislated. The exercise was also a direct result of the need for the organisation to be effective and efficient and lean. Over the past three to four years, the Authority’s current liabilities could not match its current assets resulting in the organisation seriously failing to achieve its mandate.
“In this regard and within the context of the national Transitional Stabilisation Plan the ZTA has been refocusing it’s efforts. The Board Of Directors concluded that a Skills Audit exercise be conducted with the aim of rationalising operations and performance. Results of the audit, which was conducted by an independent consultant, informed the Board to review the Authority’s corporate strategy and resolved to restructure the organisation.
“The Board consulted and engaged extensively with various stakeholders, who include the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, the Retrenchment Board, the ZTA Workers Committee as well as independent legal advisors. This saw the authority being obligated to retrench 33 employees while 2 employees’ contracts were not renewed and 1 employee opted to resign bringing the total number of employees who have left the organisation to 36. It should further be noted that the total revenue to staff costs ratio has been high, meaning that a significant percentage of the revenue generated was going towards salaries and allowances. This scenario did not provide a safe financial space for the Authority to embark on developmental projects, investments and promotion of the destination,” the Board said in a statement.
It emerged that the Authority’s liabilities both internationally and domestically had tarnished the image of the organisation. In this vein, the ZTA Board met and reviewed the Authority’s corporate strategy and then resolved to restructure the organisation. The Board then appointed an independent consultant to analyse and review both the strategy and the structure of the organisation vis-a-vis the mandate and came up with recommendations, which were then adopted by the Board.
Below is the mandate of the organisation:
a) To promote Zimbabwe as a destination for Tourists, and to promote the Tourist Industry in oversees, Regional and Domestic markets
b) To develop marketing skills and initiatives within the Tourist Industry
c) To promote high standards in the Tourism Industry through the establishment of Standards, Training and Human Resources Development
d) To register and grade designated Tourist facilities
e) To promote the development of Tourist facilities
f) To undertake planning for the Tourist Industry, including the conduct of market research and development of a Tourism data base
g) To promote awareness in Zimbabwe of the benefits of Tourism
h) To provide consultancy and advisory services in relation to Tourism
i) To investigate and make recommendations to the Minister on any matter affecting the Tourist Industry and the administration of this act
j) On its own initiative or at the request of the Minister, to carry out any function that may be conferred or imposed on the Authority by or under this act or any other enactment.