As part of efforts to embrace information communication technologies to enhance doing business in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has launched an Online Registration System (ORS) for tourism service providers.

The ORS platform was created for tourism service providers and operators to be able to conduct transactions with the authority given through registration – both new registrations and renewals – in the comfort of their homes or offices. In the past, tourism operators physically visited ZTA offices around the country for registrations and other related services.

ZTA Spokesperson, Godfrey Koti, commented: “This platform allows operators to start registration from scratch, up to the time they are given an appointment date for inspections of premises or operations; all this is done online. This is part of our digitisation drive, [using] new, cutting-edge information technology to bring convenience to operators. One is no longer required to visit Harare or any such centres for registration, thereby bringing convenience and speed in the registration process, while at the same time cutting costs [for] operators. The digital focus is to promote ease of doing business effectively, and eventually to go as paperless as possible in the tourism sector.”

Koti said the ZTA had just finished testing the system, and implementation would commence in the first quarter of this year.