Cresta's Jones is Zim's Tourism Woman of the Year

The National Tourism Awards are awarded to persons, facilities and organisations that have excelled and provide recognition for those who have contributed in one way or another in making Zimbabwe the destination of choice on the African continent.

The Tourism Woman of the year award is in line with the Millennium development goals, which seek gender mainstreaming in economic activities, as well as in government policy. This award seeks to recognise a female player in tourism who has made a significant contribution to the development of tourism.

The revival of tourism

Judy Jones's award was in recognition of the contributions she has made in the revival of tourism in the country. Jones oversees the four hotels that operate in that market and has also served the hospitality industry in Zimbabwe as the vice-chairman of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) and was previously a member of the Catering Employers' Association of Zimbabwe. She is currently a board member of the Zimbabwe Council of Tourism.

Jones has over 16 years' experience in human resources management, which started at Barclays Bank in 1986. Her passion is people development, counselling and mentoring, and helping mould individuals to be the best they can be.

Jones' vision is for the industry to reposition Zimbabwe as a tourism destination of choice, by leveraging the service culture that Zimbabwe is known for and, through sustained capital investment, in creating a world-class product.