Government, through the Ministry of Labour and social Welfare, has approved a pay increase of between 2,4 percent and 14 percent for workers in the tourism industry. The adjustments will see the least paid worker in sector 1 taking home $259, 62 up from $253, 62 while the least paid in sector one B now pockets $211 up from 205.

Sector two wages had the biggest wage adjustments with the lowest paid worker now on $121,64 from $106,64. The rise is a follow up to another 1, 5 percent increment which was awarded in May last year and applies to the period March 1, 2017 to February 28, 2018.

The tourism sector is subdivided into three sub sectors which namely sector one, which encompasses workers in the leisure sector while sector One B is for workers in the hunting business while sector two covers workers who fall under the conservation industry. The adjustments are contained in Statutory Instrument 12 of 2018

“It is hereby notified in terms of section 80 of the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01], that the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare has approved the publication of the Collective Bargaining Agreement set out in the Schedule which further amends the agreement published in Statutory Instrument 35 or 2017, registered in terms of section 79 of the Act,” reads the latest Government Gazette.

The collective bargaining was done in consultation with the Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators and Boating Association of Zimbabwe as well as representatives from the National Museums and Monuments, Travel, Game Parks, Wildlife and National Employment Council for the Tourism Industry in Zimbabwe.

The sentiment driven tourism sector has been identified as one of the low hanging fruits that should play a key role in Zimbabwe’s quest to grow the economy in line with President Mnangagwa’s business friendly thrust.

Unlike other sectors of the economy, the tourism sector has been stable for several years thus justifying upward adjustments for employees’ wages, a factor acknowledged by the employers.

President of the Employers’ Association for Tourism and Safari Operators, Mr Clement Mukwasi, who represented the National Employment Council for the tourism industry recently said stability, growth projected and inflation made it easy for the employers to concede to a rise.-Herald