Dean
Faculty of Hospitality and Sustainable Tourism
Dr Oliver Chikuta is the current Dean of the Faculty of Hospitality and Sustainable Tourism at Botho University, Gaborone, Botswana. Before joining Botho University, he was the Executive Dean of the School of Hospitality and Tourism at the Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe, former Chairperson of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Department at the Midlands State University and the Founding President of the Tourism Educators and Researchers Association of Zimbabwe (TERAZ). He holds a PhD in Tourism Management from the North-West University (Potchefstroom, SA). His PhD thesis titled; ‘The development of a Universal Accessibility Framework for South Africa and Zimbabwe’ won the Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award at the 7th World Conference on Graduate Research in Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure (Istanbul, Turkey, June 2014). The focus of his study was to ensure that tourism is accessible to all, including people with disabilities.
Dr Chikuta also holds a Master of Commerce degree in Marketing Strategy and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management (MSU). He also has certificates in Tour Guiding Services, Elementary Fares and Ticketing, E-Commerce, Food Safety Management and Introduction to Accessibility and Inclusive Design. Dr Chikuta is also an active Hospitality Customer Service Excellence Coach. His research interests are Universal Accessibility in Tourism, Nature-Based Tourism, Sustainable and Heritage Tourism, Customer Service Excellence, Tourism marketing. He has published extensively in the above areas and has presented at regional and international conferences. Dr Chikuta has also carried out some consultancy work in the tourism industry. His consultancy work is the National Human Capital Audit for the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Zimbabwe (2012-2014), where Dr Chikuta took a leading role as a Consultant. He is currently coordinating a 130000 Euro project on developing a Technologically Integrated Sustainable Tourism Education Module with a German partner at DHBW University. He has vast industry experience, having sat on the Board of Trustees for the CUT Hotel Group for four years.
Dr Oliver Chikuta
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January 2022
Tourism Planning & Development, pp.1-20 This study sought to establish the perceptions of the management of National Parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe with respect to making their parks universally accessible. This study was set against the background of many people with disabilities who are willing and financially able to patron national parks being denied […]
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Dr Oliver Chikuta
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January 2022
The study sought to determine tourist perceptions on the threats to the sustainability of wildlife tourism using a case study of two state-protected areas in Zimbabwe. Using close-ended questionnaires, we collected data from 128 tourists in December 2015. Results show respondents generally perceived all the seven tested threats as serious, i.e., illegal hunting, destruction of […]
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Dr Oliver Chikuta
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November 2021
It is evident from the literature that the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the world economies to its ‘knees’. No industry has gone untouched by the effects of this pandemic. Globally there has been an adverse impact on travel which is the backbone of the hotel industry. This study focuses on exploring the […]
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