Zimbabwe has further relaxed lockdown regulations for the tourism and hospitality sector to resume limited operations.

According to a report in the daily newspaper The Herald restaurants were now allowed to serve sitting customers within their premises, but using only half their licensed capacity, while safari operations and national parks were allowed to re-open to help boost domestic tourism.

Restaurants were already allowed to stay open for their full licensed hours, but have been limited to take-aways until Tuesday’s extra, but partial, relaxation.

According to the daily, government has already availed a $500-million bank guarantee facility to help the tourism and hospitality sector survive the slump and prepare for recovery.

Daily newspaper The Chronicle reported that the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) welcomed the further relaxation as a positive step towards full re-opening of the tourism sector.

Acting chief executive officer Givemore Chidzidzi said the sector has received with great excitement the news of the further relaxation of the national lockdown. 

"The tourism industry is extremely excited about the development, which is a great stride towards opening of the tourism sector. 

"We acknowledge the efforts by the authorities and indeed the nation to keep the spread of Covid-19 under check and thank the Almighty for his watchful eye over our nation," he told the daily.

He said relaxation of the lockdown would stimulate domestic tourism activity as the tourism sector  anxiously expects  regional and international traffic to be allowed. 

Meanwhile The Herald reported that Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the temporary halt in trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, the suspension of mobile money agent lines and the conversion of merchant lines to incoming transactions only would not affect investments as the aim was to end illegal activity.

He said investors should not panic over the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange suspension as normalcy would return under a strengthened regulatory environment.