Ngoni Dapira

RENOWNED Mutare based hotelier Gordon Addams who was yesterday (Thursday) buried at the Anglican St Francis of Assis Church cemetery in Odzi was conferred as a hotelier par excellence by various tourism operators.

Gordon as he was popularly known passed away last week Thursday in Mutare at 60-years, after succumbing to an untimely heart attack. He is survived by his two sisters and a brother, all living outside Zimbabwe. The devoted tourism operator who was born and bred in Mutare had an illustrious career in the hospitality sector where he climbed up the corporate ladder to become an acclaimed hotelman mostly based in the Eastern Highlands region, hoisting the regions tourism wherever he went.

The late Gordon Addams being placed in his final resting place.

Gordon left his managerial post at Cresta Jameson in 1991 to pursue his dreams and start his own hotel group, Inns of Zimbabwe, which was mostly centred in the Eastern Highlands, but later expanded to establish a few other hotels outside the province and beyond the borders. In the Eastern Highlands, at one point Inns of Zimbabwe operated country hotels such as Inn on Rupurara and Pine Tree Inn in Nyanga, Inn on the Vumba just outside Mutare and KIledo Lodge near Chipinge. Outside Manicaland the Group established Inn on Great Zimbabwe close to the Great Zimbabwe monuments in Masvingo, Mukwazi Safari Lodge in the Save Conservancy as well as Inn on Louis Trichardt in northern South Africa. The Inns of Zimbabwe had a unique niche in the hospitality sector with a concept of relaxation time for guests away from the hustle and bustle of the city life, which meant they had to be situated in serene environments that brought about such peace of mind.

During the height of the hyper-inflation era and unstable post dollarisation era that affected many businesses in Zimbabwe, Gordon was also forced to first downsize and eventually dissolved most of his operations. His passion for the tourism industry and business acumen as a hotelier, however saw him not hanging his boots, but invest in a smaller and lean boutique bed and breakfast lodging concept that he officially launched on 1 May 2017. He renovated a run-down suburban house in Mutare, creating a popular and successful nine-suite B&B boutique lodge uptown, which he called Gordon’s Select Bed & Breakfast situated at 125 First Street in Mutare. The chic and cozy boutique was in a class of its own and despite being a lodge, it became a game changer that has been competing for high-class business clientele against top hotels in the city. This beyond doubt proved his midas touch as a hotelier par excellence. In May this year the place celebrated three-years since its inception.

The new exquisite garden lounge project that Gordon was proud of but unfortunately did not get the opportunity to enjoy after its completion early this month.

Born and bred in Mutare, his family were prominent in the farming community of Odzi. In an obituary by Stan Higgins, a publicist, tourism promoter and associate to the late Gordon, he said Gordon’s father, popularly known as ‘Doomps,’ was killed in the war in 1974 and his mother, Veryann, passed on in her old age in 2009. Both were buried at the St Francis of Assis cemetery where the late Gordon has also been laid to rest.

After school and national service, Gordon studied Hospitality Management at the famed Hotel School at Bulawayo Polytechnic College where he graduated in 1982. He undertook in-service training around Zimbabwe, as well as at Selsdon Park in the United Kingdom and in 1983 joined the Cresta Hotel Group, where he climbed the corporate ladder to general manager of Cresta Jameson.

Gordon was also active in travel and tourism associations, serving up to vice-president level in the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ), as well as the Eastern Highlands chairman of the Zimbabwe Council for Tourism (ZCT), now called the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe. He was also a highly regarded mentor for many professionals in the tourism industry because of his extensive experience of nearly 40-years in the travel and tourism sector.

Higgins in his obituary added that Gordon will forever be remembered for creating, ‘Best of Zimbabwe,’ an informal marketing and promotional grouping of more than 30 establishments across Zimbabwe, and linked to others in neighbouring countries through his innovative Innsider Card discount scheme.

“Gordon, his staff and his establishments won many local, regional and international accolades over the years. In 2015 he was however presented with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the TBCZ at its Tourism Achievers’ Awards. His greatest passion was Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands, which he promoted with vigour and creativity for almost 30-years,” wrote Higgins in his obituary.

Gordon’s assistant manager and friend Lillian Simleit (left), the late Gordon with a fellow employee at Gordon’s B&B.

Since the news of his death last week, tributes have been flowing in from all over the world on social media, with particular commendation for his exceptionally high operational standards and his commitment to the Eastern Highlands and Zimbabwe tourism at large. He was so devoted to Manicaland that he called himself a SaManyika, given that his roots were in Odzi, which falls under Mutasa district where most people who speak the SaManyika dialect hail from. He also never opted to pack and go to Harare where most in business prefer to settle when they make it big. That is how much Gordon loved Manicaland said most of his friends that spoke highly about him during his funeral service.

TBCZ chief executive Paul Matamisa and long-time personal friend of Gordon posted his condolence message saying, “His passing is the end of an era and he was a legend in our industry. He will be greatly missed.”

His funeral service yesterday (Thursday) indeed proved that the Eastern Highlands is the home of mystery and diversity as many of different races and creed came to pay their last respects to the well known hotelier who was very humble and receptive to all.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Eastern region area manager Ropafadzo Dunira in her condolence message said, “One of our legends in the tourism sector has been promoted to glory. We will miss you Gordon Addams. You were a source of inspiration to many. Thank you for being a good coach. Rest in power.”

Hotelier Frank Marembo (sitting) chats with local entrepreneur Munei Mwayera during the farewell drinks and snacks at Gordon’s B&B yesterday.

Some of the hoteliers in the Eastern Highlands who are Best of Zimbabwe members, like White Horse Inn director Frank Marembo also spoke highly of Gordon as a selfless person who worked tirelessly to put the Eastern Highlands tourism brand on the map.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing on of Gordon. He was selfless and worked well with others, even his competitors. Just a few weeks ago he came for lunch at White Horse Inn and he had a lot of plans including his new garden lounge project that he had just completed, which is a brilliant project. Together with others, we organized the Vumba Fairs and the Eastern Highlands Experience campaign, a marketing and promotional effort linking tourism operators in the Eastern Highlands, and I am hounored to have worked with such an icon and humble man,” said Marembo.

L-R: William Chatigu with the late Gordon (centre) and Far and Wide proprietors during an Eastern Highlands Experience Expo in Harare in 2015.

The proprietor of Kwayedza Lodge in Vumba William Chatigu who also worked with Gordon in the Eastern Highlands Experience campaign as the vice-chairman said Godorn was a dedicated person whose passion for tourism was unmatched.

“Our first ever Vumba Fair in 2015 was made possible by his intervention when he allowed us to have it at Inn on the Vumba when he was still with the Inns of Zimbabwe. His main passion was to promote the Eastern Highlands as a world class destination. He also fought hard to have an airport in Mutare but unfortunately this is still a pipeline dream yet to be realised. So indeed, his passing is a big loss to the tourism industry in Zimbabwe and Eastern Highlands at large because I feel he still had a lot to contribute,”  said Chatigu in his condolence message in an interview with Easterntimeszim.

After his funeral service, a farewell drink and snacks at his Gordon’s B&B was organized, where many paid their last respect over drinks, social networking and laughter, just the way Gordon would have wanted it as an ever- smiling and welcoming person.

Gordon’s assistant manager and friend Lillian Simleit said today (Friday) another informal memorial has been extended in Harare to Gordon’s friends and colleagues in the industry at Tin Roof from 12:30pm onwards.

“This is to give everyone dear to him an opportunity to toast and say farewell to our beloved Gordon. As soon as Gordon’s family are able to travel to Zimbabwe, a formal memorial will be arranged. The details will be announced in due course,” said Lillian.

On Facebook many from far and wide like Grant Berry posted condolence messages and fond memoirs of Gordon. “Stunned to hear that our family friend Gordon Addams died of a heart attack this morning. His parents and mine met on a boat from Durban to Beira before us kids were even thought of. Gordon’s dad, Major Domps Addams was killed in the war (Addams barracks named after him), Gordon’s Mom, Veryan lived to a ripe old age, and we always thought Gordon would too. One of Zimbabwe’s finest Hosts and Hoteliers, Gordie will be missed by many. MHDSRIP,” posted Berry on a Facebook post on the Best of Zimbabwe platform.