The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has assured tourists to Zimbabwe that the ban on the use of forex to transact in the country will not affect their stay, as necessary measures are in place to ensure that travellers are not inconvenienced in any way.
The authority released a statement yesterday, June 27, saying that, despite reports circulating in certain sections of the social media, police are not authorised to stop and search people for foreign currency.
The statement says that the new regulations “…will not negatively affect the travelling public, specifically foreign visitors. The regulations are meant for any transactions carried out within Zimbabwe, where it is now illegal to use foreign hard cash, leaving the Zimbabwe Dollar as the only legal tender in the country.”
Below are the payments methods still applicable in Zimbabwe, according to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority:
- Credit cards are readily accepted everywhere in Zimbabwe, where the relevant arrangements have been made with international credit card companies such as VISA, MasterCard and others issued by different banks in the countries of origin of the travellers. Service providers do have international credit card-enabled point-of-sale (POS) machines.
- Visitors may also withdraw local cash from international credit card-enabled Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of the different banks. These will be clearly marked as international and will have the logos of the accepted credit card companies.
- Foreign cash may be exchanged at the bank, bureau-de-change or at any other authorised foreign currency dealers at the prevailing bank rates. Visitors are however encouraged to use plastic money and only exchange amounts of money in cash that they anticipate using. However, visitors may convert their money back to their foreign currency subject to prevailing terms and conditions.
- Online payments and telegraphic transfers remain acceptable forms of payment in Zimbabwe.
- Visa fees, where applicable, are payable in foreign currency and may be paid in cash at any port of entry. The Government of Zimbabwe has an e-visa system and intending travellers may apply and pay for their visas online.
- Tipping is not a commercial transaction and hence visitors are at liberty to tip as they wish. It becomes incumbent upon the recipient to ensure adherence to the foreign exchange regulations.
Source: Tourism Update
