Uncategorized

Vic Falls tour companies reel from lockdown

Published

4 years ago

July 30, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Tour companies in Victoria Falls are counting the costs after the latest lockdown to slow down the spread of Covid-19 saw both local and international tourists cancelled their bookings.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa imposed a strict lockdown last month after Zimbabwe was hit by a third wave of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Clement Mukwasi, Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators (EASTSO) president, told VicFallsLive the lockdown restrictions that include a ban on intercity travel had left tour companies battling for survival.

“The little candle that had already started showing itself was immediately blown off and we are in the dark again,” Mukwasi said.

“It was for a good reason, but we were plunged into problems as there are no activities and hotel bookings..

“We had significant, but low bookings that had been registered and they immediately cancelled because of these restrictions.”

The tourism industry has been operating at 20 percent of its capacity last year and there is no hope of an improvement soon, Explore Zimbabwe’s Peggie White noted.

“As safari operators doing guided tours around Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, the effects of Covid-19 have been beyond one’s imagination,” White said.

“We thought things were going to be better after a year and right now we are witnessing many (Covid-19) positive cases being recorded and people especially those from India and America have rescheduled and that keeps plunging the destination into uncertainty.

Authorities in the tourism industry say the country lost more than US$ 1.6 billion worth of revenue in 2020 alone following the outbreak of Covid-19 and the subsequent border closures.

Zimbabwe’s tourism sector generally brings in between US$1.5 million and US$ 2 billion annually.

Mukwasi said tour companies were now shifting their focus to domestic tourism.

“Our focus now has now been at the domestic tourism more than international tourism because of the new normal that we are now living in,” he added.

“The restrictions that came as a result of trying to curb the third wave keep on impacting quite seriously on the industry as a whole, but we have got some hope that after the lockdown and when more people have taken the vaccines, we are likely to then see the business starting to kick again.

“That, however, should be guided by opening responsibly because vaccines alone will not remove the scourge.

National

Zimbabwe road traffic fatalities rise to 20 amid recent accidents

Published

5 days ago

August 30, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has confirmed that the death toll from recent road traffic accidents has tragically escalated to at least 20 individuals in the past few days. This surge in fatalities has raised serious concerns regarding road safety across the nation.

In a statement released today, the ZRP detailed a fatal accident that occurred early this morning at the 246-kilometer peg along the Mutare-Masvingo Road, near Mutendi Complex. A Dragon bus, carrying 20 passengers and traveling from Beitbridge to Mutare, collided with a haulage truck while attempting to overtake. The bus driver swerved back into his lane upon noticing an oncoming vehicle, resulting in a devastating sideswipe that caused timber from the truck to pierce into the bus. Eight people, including the bus driver, died at the scene, and four others were injured in the crash. The injured were transferred to Masvingo General Hospital for treatment.

The ZRP emphasized the alarming trend of road accidents in their statement, noting

that these incidents were predominantly caused by reckless overtaking. “Most of the accidents recorded recently have been due to overtaking errors on the part of drivers,” police officials stated. “We urge all motorists to exercise extreme caution and adhere strictly to traffic regulations.”

This latest accident follows another tragic incident on August 28 involving a Toyota Fortuner GD6 at the 46-kilometer peg along the same road. The vehicle veered off the road and hit a concrete signpost, resulting in four immediate fatalities. This number subsequently rose to six as two more victims succumbed to their injuries after being admitted to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital.

Additionally, on August 29, a separate accident on the Harare-Nyamapanda Road claimed the lives of seven family members when a kombi they were traveling in lost control during an overtaking maneuver, resulting in an overturn that killed five instantly and two more in the hospital.

In the community

Kachechete ward councillor involved in accident, admitted to hospital

Published

6 days ago

August 29, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Councillor Given Moyo, representing Kachechete ward in Hwange Rural District Council, was involved in a car accident on Tuesday evening in Victoria Falls at Mkhosana Suburb.

This incident occurred just a day after he granted an interview to VicFallsLive, discussing the rising concerns of human-wildlife conflicts in his constituency.

During the interview, Moyo highlighted the losses faced by villagers due to wildlife, particularly lions, and shared a disturbing image of lions attacking donkeys.

Donkey eaten by a lion in Mvuthu

According to family spokesperson Corcaly Jamela from the Ndlosa Desk, Moyo’s vehicle reportedly fell into a ditch, resulting in injuries to the councillor and his family members. Fortunately, Moyo did not suffer any fractures, but he did sustain scratches that required stitches on his arm and other areas, Jamela said.

Moyo is currently admitted at the Victoria Falls Hospital.

The family has appealed for donations to help cover Moyo’s medical expenses. Given Moyo +263 7 72462892

Slider

Cabinet approves review of tourism levies, licenses and fees

Published

1 week ago

August 27, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Cabinet has approved a review of levies, licences, fees, and permits of tourism sector , aimed at streamlining the regulatory environment and enhancing competitiveness.

The announcement was made during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet briefing, attended by Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi.

The review, conducted through a consultative process, covered various subsectors, including accommodation, hospitality and catering, tour guides and operators, boating services, and vehicle rental services.

Previously, these subsectors were constrained by a complex regulatory environment, which the review aims to simplify by removing unjustifiable licences and permits, streamlining duplicative requirements, and reducing excessively high fees and levies.

Significantly, the review introduces a range of reductions, with some fees being cut by 25-50% and others scrapped off completely.

The reviewed instruments will undergo further refinement to ensure they fully support a competitive and thriving tourism industry.

This reform is part of the broader ease-of-doing-business agenda, designed to lower operational costs, enhance competitiveness, and drive sustainable growth in Zimbabwe’s economy.

The tourism sector is one of Zimbabwe’s key drivers of economic growth, and this development is expected to provide a significant boost to the industry.

Source: Zimbabwe Tourism Authority