AT the tender age of 22, Lipian Mtandabari sits at the helm of a tour operating company, Phezulu Safaris.
Never mind the prevailing harsh economic environment, the company has been experiencing growth since inception in 2012.
The Government’s empowerment programme has removed barriers and opened up the economy to every individual with zeal for business.
Previously white-dominated sectors such as tourism have become accessible to the enterprising indigene.
The fast-rising tour operator has not been deterred by the presence of long-established veterans of the sector such as Wild Horizons and Shear Water.
Stiff competition coupled with the torrid process of registering, which involves acquiring numerous licenses, did not dampen Mtandabari’s passion.
His was a dream to be achieved at all costs.
Mtandabari narrated to The Patriot his journey in the previously white-dominated industry.
“My passion for tourism grew while I worked in South Africa at a tertiary tourism institute and my mother was also in the tourism industry then,” Mtandabari said.
“The money I earned while I worked in South Africa is what I used to register my company.
“It was a long and torrid process.”
With the support of his mother he soldiered on.
“My mother, Priscilla Mtandabari, has been a huge pillar of support, especially when things were tough,” he said.
“She is my source of inspiration.”
The young entrepreneur said his was not a shelf company as he sought to create an original identity.
“We wanted a name of our choice and Phezulu Safaris was it,” said Mtandabari.
“It alludes to something heavenly, upward-bound and the hilarious pronunciation we get from our foreign clients delights and makes us proud of our identity.”
Co-operation with already established players and the ability to learn from them, he said, was one of the reasons the company had not been overwhelmed by challenges inherent in the tourism sector.
“We are grateful to people like Wengai Wenhau of Wenhau Tours, who took us into his fold as his children and mentored us,” said Mtandabari.
“He helped us during our period of setting up, guiding us all the way.
“Wenhau, despite being a competitor in the business, distributed our promotional material at the exhibitions the company attended and helped us create and grow a client base.”
The success of the company is also steeped in an aggressive marketing strategy.
“For local clients, we continue to do door-to-door marketing and those happy with our service have referred others to us,” he said.
“We are currently enjoying repeat clientele from Australia, Canada and Turkey because they have been happy with our service.
“We have made it a priority to deliver a lasting first impression because you only have one chance to do so.
“Our clients love receiving a tailor-made (personalised) experience and this is what makes us distinct.”
Phezulu Safaris offer services to the south-east Lowveld, Harare, Victoria Falls and Kariba where clients enjoy an array of cultural, historical and wildlife experiences, among other activities.
Mtandabari said his most memorable tour recently was one designed for a Turkish group which was thrilled by a first live encounter with a lion and elephant.
“The last Turkish group we hosted had 15 members and most of them had never seen a lion or an elephant,” he said.
“Only three in the group had encountered the two in a zoo.
“They were thrilled to experience and observe the animals in their natural habitat in Hwange National Park.
“The Bridge activities, part of the Victoria Falls package, had many running short of words.
“The 11 seconds of free fall off the 111 metres from the bridge overwhelmed participants and our clients promised to return with their friends and more family members in the very near future.”
Mtandabari, however, lambasted the so-called demonstrations that the country experienced recently, citing them as bad for business.
“We have lost about 35 percent of our bookings from the negative publicity from these demonstrations publicised on social media,” he said.
“Many of our clients have seemingly lost confidence in landing in Harare and have been calling to find out what is happening.”
Meanwhile, the company said expansion plans, that will see the tour operator establish house boats in Kariba, ‘a hidden gem’, were in place.
Carlson and Catherine Mqedi, who have dealt with Phezulu Safaris, spoke highly of the rising star.
“We saw their advert on facebook and decided to try out their tailor-made package because we just wanted something for just the two of us for Valentine’s Day,” said Catherine Mqedi.
“We were not disappointed because the two days we spent in Kariba were an experience we would love to repeat over and over again.”