Tourism and Environment

Tourism minister pleads for industry bailout

Published

4 years ago

October 26, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe’s tourism industry desperately needs a bail out from treasury for it to rebuild after the outbreak of Covid-19 last year paralysed the sector, Environment, Climate and Tourism minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has said.

Ndlovu told the ongoing 2022 pre-budget seminar for parliamentarians in Victoria Falls that tourism players were yet to benefit from the $520 million stimulus package announced by the government last year.

In May last year, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube announced an $18 billion stimulus package for the private sector and said $20 million would be used as seed capital to kick-start the tourism sector after the freeze on global travel caused by lockdowns.

Another $500 million was set aside for tourism sector players to use as working capital loans, but Ndlovu said no player in the industry had received funding so far.

“The tourism sector is reeling under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted global travel supply chains and heavily affected cash flows,” he said.

“Whilst the government put in place a robust tourism support facility under the $18 billion support, the sector has not benefitted.

“We, therefore, request support of the treasury and of Parliament to set up this fund in the 2022 budget, to ensure a quick recovery of the sector.”

Some companies, mainly in the prime resort city of Victoria Falls, have been dragged to court for non-payment of loans, while others have had their properties attached over debts.

Ndlovu said there was also a need to streamline procedures under economic recovery facilities to avoid discord in the industry.

“We also call upon treasury to align the sector specific incentives such as suty free rebates on safari vehicles and capital goods for importation of materials used in the refurbishment of hotels to the lifespan of NSDS1 (National Development Strategy 1) 2021-2023,” he said.

“This should be supported by allocation of funds for aggressive marketing of the country locally and abroad by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, which we have submitted bids to treasury.

“The ministry also requires financial support for key tourism infrastructure through the Mosi-a-Tunya Development Company.”

On environment and climate, Ndlovu said his ministry was pushing for incentives for institutions to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the country’s determined contribution to reduce emissions by 40 percent in the global fight against climate change by 2030.

“We recommend that incentives are broadened as motivation for reducing emissions besides compliance requirements,” the minister added.

“We kindly request the Ministry of Finance to consider incentives such as duty-free rebates and tax exemptions for any approved greening project.”

He said his ministry was prepared to discuss modalities with the ministry of Finance and industry players.

Ndlovu also appealed for funding of the Forestry Commission to support afforestation efforts

“We request that resources for the afforestation fund be remitted timeously to ensure quality seedling production and timely planting,” he said.

Ndlovu said the ministry was mobilising resources for the Forestry Commission through projects such as those financed by the Global Environmental Facility although it was not enough to sustain the operations of the entity.

Sports

Zimparks, VFWT join forces to rescue snared elephant

Published

1 week ago

August 5, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A dramatic rescue operation was carried out last week by the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, in collaboration with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), to save a young female elephant from a wire snare.

According to a statement posted by the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust on Facebook:

“Last week, we received an urgent call from Zimparks about a young female elephant in distress—a wire snare was tightly wrapped around her mouth and tusks.”

The elephant was spotted near Masuwe Lodge, where her herd was peacefully drinking at the waterhole. Acting swiftly, the trust’s team carefully separated the distressed elephant from her herd and darted her, allowing them to remove the snare and collect vital health samples.

Thankfully, the wire hadn’t cut deeply, and the young elephant was soon back on her feet, reunited with her family.

The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust expressed gratitude to Zimparks and Adrian Read for their dedication to protecting wildlife, saying:

“Thank you to Zimparks and Adrian Read for their dedication to protecting our wildlife.”

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Zimparks defends trophy hunting of collared lion in Hwange

Published

1 week ago

August 4, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe’s wildlife authority, Zimparks, has defended the killing of a collared lion, Blondie, in Hwange National Park, despite widespread outrage and criticism from conservationists.

According to BBC News, Blondie, a well-known lion studied by University of Oxford academics, was killed by trophy hunters just outside Hwange National Park in late June. The lion was wearing a collar sponsored by Africa Geographic, a safari company, to support long-term conservation efforts.

In a press statement, Zimparks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said:

“Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) confirms that a recent hunt of a collared lion in Hwange National Park was legally conducted, with the necessary approvals and having fully complied with all regulations. Contrary to ongoing speculation, there was no illegality involved in this hunt. While collared animals are marked for research purposes, this does not exempt them from being legally hunted under regulated circumstances. We urge the public to stop spreading wrong information that may cause unnecessary alarm. ZimParks remains committed to transparent wildlife management upholding the regulations in all activities.”

According to BBC News, Simon Espley, CEO of Africa Geographic, expressed his dismay and anger over the incident, saying that Blondie’s prominent collar did not prevent him from being hunted. Espley also noted that Blondie was a breeding male in his prime, contradicting claims that trophy hunters only target old, non-breeding males.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the killing of Cecil the lion in 2015, which sparked widespread outrage and calls for stricter regulations on trophy hunting.

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Renowned conservationist Alan Elliott passes away at 86

Published

2 weeks ago

August 1, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The conservation world is mourning the loss of Alan Elliott, a pioneering conservationist and tourism operator who passed away this morning around 2AM at Materdei Hospital in Bulawayo.

Elliott, affectionately known as “Mandebele,” was 86 years old.

Photo by Charlene Hewat

Elliott’s contributions to conservation and tourism in Zimbabwe are immeasurable. He was one of the first people to bring tourism to Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest national park, and founded Touch the Wild, a tourism operation that hosted numerous celebrities, including the Queen and Prince Philip.

We then contacted Charlene Hewat, a close associate of Elliott’s Presidential Elephant Research Trust (PERT), to explain further about his conservation work. Hewat described Elliott as an extraordinary conservationist who dedicated his life to protecting elephants. “Alan’s legacy is imprinted on the wild landscapes he loved so dearly and protected so fiercely,” Hewat said in a Facebook post.

In an interview, Hewat elaborated on Elliott’s work, highlighting his efforts to protect elephants in Hwange. “He went and got a decree from President (Robert) Mugabe to protect the presidential elephants, and he received that decree, and they agreed that they would not shoot any elephants within the Dete Hwange area,” Hewat explained.

Elliott’s passing has sent shockwaves throughout the conservation community, with many paying tribute to his remarkable legacy. “He’s a legend. Everybody knows him,” Hewat said. “He was an MP in Hwange, spoke fluent Ndebele, and knew a lot of the ministers. He’s just an amazing man, a legend for Zimbabwe.”

As a testament to his enduring legacy, Elliott had asked Hewat to carry on his work with the Presidential Elephant Research Trust. “It was his vision to promote young Zimbabwean researchers, and that’s something that I share and think we can take forward for the country and for the youth,” Hewat said.