Zimbabwe’s leading tourism player, the Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG), is investing heavily on environment, social and governance (ESG) initiatives to ensure sustainable growth and to promote sustainable tourism, chief executive Tendai Madziwanyika has said.
Madziwanyika told The Standard that key ESG projects under RTG’s five year strategic plan included the envisaged US$1 million investment on a 1 megawatt (MW) solar plant at Rainbow Towers Hotel.
The phased investment in solar energy plants at the group’s hotels, which commenced with the Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre, will be rolled out to other hotels.
RTG says this approach will lead to reduction in the group’s carbon footprint, lower operational costs, and the attainment of Zimbabwe’s clean energy goals.
“Our objective is to balance business success with environmental care and community impact, ensuring long-term value for both our stakeholders and the planet,” Madziwanyika said.
“In the communities that we operate we continue to identify worthy projects to support our local communities and therefore drive sustainable business operations.
In addition to the solar energy plants, the group has also implemented a successful reforestation programme and is actively promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within its workforce.
“Key projects include the 300kVA solar plant at Kadoma Hotel and an upcoming 1MW solar plant at Rainbow Towers Hotel, a US$1 million investment,” Madziwanyika said.
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“We have planted nearly 20,000 trees as part of our reforestation programme, aiming to offset carbon emissions by 2027.
“RTG is also committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), targeting at least 5% of our workforce from minority groups.
“Additionally, we prioritise partnering with local suppliers to support community growth.”
The tourism group has also set targets to facilitate housing provision for 75% of employees by the end of 2027
“I am pleased to advise that RTG has facilitated housing for close to 45% of our employees and by the end of 2025 that number will be closer to 60%,” Madzianyika added.
“We aim that by end of 2027 we will be proving more than 75% of our employees with access to housing.
“We are proud of this in the sense that the model that we are working with the financier.
“Some people are accessing this housing in their later years and they may choose to rather put a borehole and solar and thereby expand their rural home.
“Our aim is to truly enhance quality of life of our employees.
“We also believe that by providing quality incomes our employees are able to better look after their families and relatives.
“We think there is a significant downstream impact of our approach to employee welfare.
He added: “In addition all employees entitled to company vehicles have to buy brand new cars thus ensuring high productivity and employees are not failing to come to work because their car has broken down.”
RTG recently said it had invested US$26 million over the past five years in a bid to regain its market share post the Covid period that decimated the industry.
The tourism and hotel sectors were arguably the hardest hit from the pandemic induced travel bans and restrictions which were instituted across the globe to curb the spread of Covid.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority show that tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe indicate that tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe plunged from over 2.2 million in 2019 to 376000 in 2021 due to travel restrictions.
