Global award for Midlands Hotel (01-03-07)

nt at a glittering ceremony in Madrid.
The award was created by Editorial Office, an international publishing house found in Spain in 1950, in collaboration with the Trade leaders’ club.
Patrick Kombayi, the hotel’s CEO, said he was very proud that the hotel had won the award. He appealed to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority supreme, Karikoga Kaseke, and the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe to ensure a professional approach to tourism and to protect members of the industry from “state-sponsored terrorists”.
He alleged that a group of government officials “known as the Kaseke-Tabengwa terror group” travelled around the country purporting to inspect hotels, restaurants and lodges in the name of ZTA.
“They demand free food, accommodation and sometimes cash. If you don’t give them you suffer persecution of either closure or removal of stars as was the case at Meikles Hotel which was recently reported in the press,” said Kombayi.
“I am already engaged in a campaign to promote the country through my agency abroad so that we reap some benefits from South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup in 2010. I beg Mr Kaseke to work together in the interest of Zimbabwe, and promote the country’s tourism,” he added. – Chris Tabvura