Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy

This study analyses the state of the informal curio sector in Victoria Falls in the obtaining multicurrency trading dispensation. The study sought to address a lacuna in the curio trading literature in the context of Zimbabwe`s re-calibrated economic environment. The study envisaged to broaden the p...

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Main Author: Zhou, Zibanai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Africa Journals 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_12_vol_6_1_.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4582
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author Zhou, Zibanai
author_facet Zhou, Zibanai
author_sort Zhou, Zibanai
collection DSpace
description This study analyses the state of the informal curio sector in Victoria Falls in the obtaining multicurrency trading dispensation. The study sought to address a lacuna in the curio trading literature in the context of Zimbabwe`s re-calibrated economic environment. The study envisaged to broaden the private and government`s comprehension of curio trading and resultantly help policy shifts and the public narrative of curio business as a significant entrepreneurial activity in need of support. In-depth interviews and focus group discussion of 200 participants were used to gather the data. A thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results revealed that the curio business in Victoria Falls is at its lowest ebb due to a dwindling clientele base, and pittance curio prices amongst a host of other attendant factors. Findings further established that incessant harassment from municipal police coupled with an opaque allocation system of market stalls that are far flung from tourist hotspots riled traders. A dormant local market, poor signage of curio stalls and exorbitant monthly rentals levied by council were bemoaned as Achilles Heels of the informal curio business. The study recommends curio traders to form trade associations and social co-operatives to bolster their bargaining powers and access cheap financial resources. To ameliorate the rampant entrepreneurial skill deficiency amongst the rank and file of curio traders, they should enrol for night and weekend schools to upgrade their skills. The study lacks external validity hence it is necessary to replicate it at national level using a different methodological approach.
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spelling ir-11408-45822022-06-27T13:49:06Z Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy Zhou, Zibanai Curio traders Victoria Falls Multi-currency system Zimbabwe tourism industry economic environment This study analyses the state of the informal curio sector in Victoria Falls in the obtaining multicurrency trading dispensation. The study sought to address a lacuna in the curio trading literature in the context of Zimbabwe`s re-calibrated economic environment. The study envisaged to broaden the private and government`s comprehension of curio trading and resultantly help policy shifts and the public narrative of curio business as a significant entrepreneurial activity in need of support. In-depth interviews and focus group discussion of 200 participants were used to gather the data. A thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results revealed that the curio business in Victoria Falls is at its lowest ebb due to a dwindling clientele base, and pittance curio prices amongst a host of other attendant factors. Findings further established that incessant harassment from municipal police coupled with an opaque allocation system of market stalls that are far flung from tourist hotspots riled traders. A dormant local market, poor signage of curio stalls and exorbitant monthly rentals levied by council were bemoaned as Achilles Heels of the informal curio business. The study recommends curio traders to form trade associations and social co-operatives to bolster their bargaining powers and access cheap financial resources. To ameliorate the rampant entrepreneurial skill deficiency amongst the rank and file of curio traders, they should enrol for night and weekend schools to upgrade their skills. The study lacks external validity hence it is necessary to replicate it at national level using a different methodological approach. 2021-11-24T09:40:54Z 2021-11-24T09:40:54Z 2017 Article 2223- 814X http://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_12_vol_6_1_.pdf http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4582 en African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, Vol.6, No. 1; open Africa Journals
spellingShingle Curio traders
Victoria Falls
Multi-currency system
Zimbabwe tourism industry
economic environment
Zhou, Zibanai
Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title_full Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title_fullStr Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title_full_unstemmed Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title_short Victoria Falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
title_sort victoria falls curio sector analysis: insights through the lens of a dollarized economy
topic Curio traders
Victoria Falls
Multi-currency system
Zimbabwe tourism industry
economic environment
url http://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_12_vol_6_1_.pdf
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4582
work_keys_str_mv AT zhouzibanai victoriafallscuriosectoranalysisinsightsthroughthelensofadollarizedeconomy