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Victoria Falls tourism on the rebound after easing of restrictions
BY AWAKHIWE KHUMALO
Victoria Falls’ leisure and accommodation facilities recorded 60 percent and above occupancies rates after Zimbabwe started easing of Covid-19 lockdowns last year, it has been revealed.
The resort city’s tourism sector took a battering at the height of the lockdowns, but Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators president Clement Mukwasi told VicFallsLive that international and local source markets were showing a growing appetite for the city’s tourism offerings.
“After the setbacks suffered under the Covid-19 pandemic domestic tourists have started flocking into the destination,” Mukwasi said
“We also have seen that international tourists have started coming to Zimbabwe, particularly Victoria Falls, and most of them are coming from Europe, United State of America, Australia, and United Kingdom and that is boosting the tourism sector.
“We are moving in the right direction although we are still on the road to recovery although our occupancies at the time are offering above 60 percent of the industry in terms of accommodation occupancies and activity consumption.”
He said companies were looking at clawing back the capital that was lost over the two years during the Covid-19 era.
“We hope that this course is going to continue until we recover the lost revenue, capital and lost time, but the outlook is quite good,” Mukwasi added.
“We think that if the bookings that are there continue to go by, we are likely going to record 100 percent occupancies during the festive season”
Asian tourists, however, have not started visiting the destination in numbers since the onset of the pandemic, he said.
“We are also hoping that the Chinese and Japanese markets open up so that we get a complete number of arrivals from all countries,” Mukwasi said.
“We also still have concerns about people from Ukraine and Russia because of the post Covid-19 military conflict that is happening there or whatever is happening there, which has made it hard for people from those areas to travel to Victoria Falls.”
He said apart from pristine leisure, conferencing had also given the destination a lift.
“The government is also flexing its muscles and helping the tourism sector in ways that it can and we are hoping that it will continue with its policy of us having zero percent on capital goods we import as an industry and the value added tax on the activities we offer as that has been a serious enabler,” Mukwasi said.
BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
The City of Victoria Falls has launched a promotional campaign offering prizes ranging from solar power systems to helicopter rides to encourage residents to settle their utility bills and rates.
The initiative, titled the “Pay and Stand a Chance to Win Promotion,” began on April 2, 2026, and is scheduled to run in three-month cycles through the end of the year. According to a notice issued by Town Clerk Ronnie Dube, the program aims to have residents work together to contribute to the continued growth and improvement of the city.
To qualify for the draws, domestic customers in high-density suburbs must pay at least 30% of their outstanding balance or a minimum of US$100. Residents in medium and low-density suburbs are required to pay at least 30% of their debt or a minimum of US$200.
The city is offering a tiered prize structure to incentivize different levels of payment. Four 3KVA solar systems are reserved as grand prizes for residents who achieve a zero-balance account. Other prizes in the pool include four refrigerators, four gas stoves, and 100 solar lights.
Leveraging its status as a World Heritage Site, the city is also offering four “Flight of Angels” helicopter rides, four boat cruise tickets, and four complimentary dinner tickets for two. Consolation prizes such as city-branded T-shirts will also be available.
The first draw is scheduled for the second week of July, followed by a second draw in October. The final and grand draw will take place in the second week of January 2027. Residents can enter by making payments at Council Pay Points and dropping their receipts into designated entry boxes.
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