Conversion of Charter House into five star hotel to cost US$20 million

Environment Tourism and Hospitality Industry ministry Thursday morning signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Charter House Hotel Project which will see the facility converted into a five star hotel.

As earlier reported by the Zim Morning Post, the deal was consummated by the signing of the MOU between Mashonaland Holding Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group.

The project will see the conversion of Charter House in Harare into a hotel with a helipad at an estimated  cost of close to US$20 million.

“This development is indeed a significant one as it comes at a time the Tourism Industry in Harare is in dire need for revitalisation, new offerings and above all need additional luxury hotels,” Environment Minister Prisca Mupfumira said in a speech read on his behalf.

This MOU signing occasion is really a testimony that President E.D. Mnangagwa mantra “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” is bearing fruit. Ladies and gentlemen there’s nothing so beautiful as witnessing an old heritage into a completely new structure with a new breathe of life. There could be no better way of embracing our heritage of 61years.

“The project is poised to change the face of tourism in the capital by adding a five-star luxury accommodation. Currently, Harare in particular and the country at large has limited 5-star accommodation facilities. The conversion of Charter House into a luxury hotel will see at least 80 hotel rooms being added to the current hotel room capacity of 2371 in Harare. Even with this additional capacity Harare would still be lagging behind other cities in the region such as Johannesburg and Lusaka hence the need for more tourism investment not only in accommodation facilities but also modern conferencing facilities and amusement parks to mention just a few.”

Mupfumira  expressed gratitude to Harare City Council for favourably considering this multi-million-dollar project.

“It is my conviction the due process regarding the change of use of Charter House will be expedited without delay to enable Mashonaland Holdings and Touchroad to commence works on the transformation of the building from office space into tourism and hospitality facility.” she said.

 Mashonaland Holdings Limited Managing Director Gibson Mapfidza said the MOU is a culmination of engagements between themselves, Touch Road International Holdings Group and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.