Businesses in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls anxious for tourists’ return

 Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls are in full flow this year. The mist from the water hitting the river more than 100 yards below is visible for miles. But the crowds are missing.

“COVID has taken a big hit here; we are basically on life support,” said Gail van Jaarsvelt, who owns retail businesses in the area.

More than 300,000 foreign tourists visited the Zimbabwean site in 2019. A mere 34,000 visited in 2020, threatening the survival of Victoria Falls, a town almost entirely dependent on tourist revenue.

To highlight the importance of tourism, the government offered free COVID-19 vaccination to every adult resident of Victoria Falls in March. Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa made a point of getting vaccinated here, an event that was broadcast live on national TV.

By August, the ministry of health’s Dr. Munekayi Padingani said 72% of the town’s adults were fully vaccinated. As a result, he said, Victoria Falls was spared the deadly delta variant-driven third wave that other parts of the country are experiencing.

“We can say that our vaccination campaign was successful. The number of cases have gone down, and most of our cases are people who are not vaccinated,” he said.

Some airlines that had stopped flying into Victoria Falls earlier in the pandemic have resumed their flights. Farai Chimba, a hotel manager in the town, is also the vice chairperson of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe. He said this should boost arrivals.

“We anticipate that as these flights continue to come in and increase the frequency, we’ll also see a corresponding increase in the number of passengers traveling into the destination,” Chimba said. 

But foreign tourists have to deal with travel restrictions in their own countries. So there’s a new focus on domestic tourism to keep Victoria Falls afloat in the short term. Still, van Jaarsveldt said, business owners need to do more to encourage more locals to visit.

“We dropped the ball with that long back,” she said. “We didn’t rate the local market, we wanted the more well-heeled travelers.”

The pandemic has indeed forced Zimbabwe’s tourism sector to take domestic tourism seriously. Chimba said some hotels are offering locals discount packages of as much as 70%. The government has targeted multi-media advertising campaigns and scrapped a consumption tax on tourism products and services for locals at tourist destinations. 

Source: Businesses in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls anxious for tourists’ return (07/09/21)

Vic Falls restaurants allowed to open for business

President Mnangagwa has directed that restaurants in the key resort town of Victoria Falls operate for extended hours under more relaxed regulations.

This follows an announcement by Cabinet this week, of the opening of Kazungula and Livingstone border posts to allow tourism activities to resume after the majority of the people in Victoria Falls were vaccinated against Covid-19, leading to the attainment of herd immunity.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa yesterday confirmed the decision by President Mnangagwa to allow restaurant operators to open. 

“In line with the decision taken by Cabinet this last Tuesday July 27 to open Kazungula and Livingstone Border posts in Victoria Falls to tourists who are fully vaccinated, HE President ED Mnangagwa has further directed that this decision be extended to restaurants in Victoria Falls. 

“Let it be noted that the standing curfew regulations remain in place. The move  is being taken cognisant of the fact that Vic Falls has since achieved herd immunity. 

“This is courtesy of the pilot vaccination programme carried out by our Government in this premier tourist destination,” said Minister Mutsvangwa

She added: “I would like to emphasise that the usual Covid-19 health protocols as enunciated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, in consent  with WHO (World Health Organisation) that is wearing (face) masks, maintaining social distance, sanitising hands and others all stand to be maintained.”

Victoria Falls and Kazungula border posts have opened for fully vaccinated tourists in a move aimed at reviving the tourism sector, which has been hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic since last year.

The development comes as Zimbabwe is expecting 1,5 million more Sinovac vaccine doses from China on Friday to augment the national vaccination roll-out, which has largely been successful.

As of July 26, 22 226 people out of a possible 27 000 people eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, had received their first dose while 17 391 had been fully vaccinated in Victoria Falls.

This means 64,4 percent of the targeted population in the resort city had been fully vaccinated.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the decision to reopen Victoria Falls was in response to the call by tourism players to allow normal activity to resume under strict health protocols.

“Cabinet acceded to a request by the tourism industry to open the Victoria Falls and Kazungula border posts to tourists who are fully vaccinated. 

“This is in view of the realisation that over 60 percent of the population in Victoria Falls has been vaccinated,” she said.

Players in the tourism sector have welcomed the re-opening of tourism activities in Victoria Falls saying this will boost arrivals and profitability.

Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe president Mr Wengayi Nhau said: “We welcome the gesture by the Government to reopen the two borders to vaccinated tourists as this will help boost our tourism arrivals.

“Victoria Falls was suffering a very slow and painful death because of its geographical location as it is the farthest to travel to by road from main cities in the country where commerce and industry are located.”

Although domestic tourism had partially kept the industry going, it had been unable to ensure profitability, under a situation where intercity travel is banned and land borders closed.

Despite the reopening of activities in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe remains under Level Four lockdown throughout the country as a way of slowing down the surge in new Covid-19 cases.

Last week, the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe urged Government to allow industry to operate under strict health protocols allowing vaccinated citizens to travel and the authorities duly obliged.

Reopening travel for vaccinated travellers has become the common trend globally as countries begin to reopen.

Morocco was the first African country to reopen travel last month and is already enjoying a tourism boom. Egypt has also eased restrictions to draw tourists.

Other countries that are slowly opening up include Botswana and Kenya.  

Victoria Falls, Kariba and Chiredzi have recorded the highest coverage in terms of administration of the first dose in the vaccine roll-out.

Zimbabwe aims to vaccinate 10 million people to achieve herd immunity and Treasury has already paid for 6,5 million more doses while another 1,5 million is expected to be received under the Covax facility.

This will take the total number of vaccine doses purchased to over 12 million.

Source: Vic Falls restaurants allowed to open for business (31/07/2021)

Covid-19 Cases Rise In Vic Falls

 VICTORIA FALLS: Health authorities here are fretting following a fresh surge in new cases owing to an influx of people visiting the resort city for the festive holidays.

There has been a hive of activity since last week as people visit Victoria Falls for holidaying with their families and some of hotels are more than 50% fully booked until New Year’s Eve.

Traditionally, the city would be flooded with both local and international visitors coming for the Vic Falls Carnival between December 29 and January 1.

However, the carnival was scratched off this year because of Covid-19 restrictions and only Mapopoma Festival will be held Wednesday and Thursday with a limited number allowed entry.

Health authorities and local Covid-19 task-force have warned residents to be vigilant as the city has 33 active cases as at 29 December.

Matabeleland North had 92 active cases on the same date, and a total cumulative 533 new cases since the first case in March.

This comes as the whole country had recorded 13 325 and 359 deaths as at December 29, after 177 new cases and five deaths recorded on the day.

Of these 144 are locals and 33 are returnees from South Africa and Mozambique.

In a joint statement, acting Hwange district medical officer (DMO) and the Victoria Falls Covid-19 task-force said: “We would like to inform the community of Victoria Falls that there are currently 33 active cases of Covid-19 in the city. These numbers are increasing daily and we once again ask you to observe the following guidelines to prevent the spread of Copvid-19.”

The acting DMO implored residents to wash and sanitise hands, keep physical distance, not touch face, practice good etiquette, avoid gatherings both large and small and travelling only when there is a genuine need.

“If you suspect any cases of Covid-19 please contact authorities on given hotlines. Please do not go to a doctor but isolate at home,” reads the statement.

Sources closer to the goings on have said Victoria Falls accounts for a majority of cases in Matabeleland North province at any given time because of influx of visitors.

Source: Covid-19 Cases Rise In Vic Falls (30/12/20)

Victoria Falls re-activates helicopter flights

 Operators of helicopter flights popularly known as "Flight of Angels" above the Victoria Falls have activated their systems in anticipation of return of tourists following the reopening of the sector.

Helicopter flights were automatically suspended when countries imposed travel bans as there were no travellers to take up the popular activity.

The Flight of Angels is the only opportunity for tourists to view the upper and lower Zambezi River including the gorges, magnificent Victoria Falls and bridge, both on the Zambian and Zimbabwean side.

Chikopokopo Helicopters, Zambezi Helicopters and Bonisairare are the three operators based in the resort town. The recent resumption of domestic flights and the anticipated start of regional travel has reignited hope for helicopter operators.

Chikopokopo workers are already on site and Covid-19 guidelines such as hand washing and sanitising provisions have been put in place.

The company's proprietor, Mr Lloyd Muchaka, said they have come up with packages for domestic tourists as they are ready to resume flights.

"We are very much prepared and we have been communicating with the regulatory authority (Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe) and it seems like everything is in order," he said.

"We are excited by the coming of flights like Fastjet and we have been getting inquiries mainly from domestic tourists. We are hoping very soon we will be getting some from the region," said Mr Muchaka.

Fastjet resumed scheduled flights last Thursday while Ethiopian Airlines is expected to start tomorrow. Mr Muchaka said operators were looking forward to opening of borders, particularly the South Africa and Botswana borders.

"People are waiting for things to happen but we are getting inquiries and hopefully we will be able to sustain numbers. We are excited to welcome tourists back in the new normal. For now, we will be flying smaller families and making sure they are sanitised, masked as we have put in place necessary health guidelines. As clients come in, they will be sanitised and temperature checked," he said.

"I don't think it will be an easy road but somebody has to sacrifice. We have reduced our prices by about 25 percent as we put in place packages to lure domestic clients."

The tourism industry is generally sceptical about resuming most activities owing to low numbers of clients so far.

Source: Victoria Falls re-activates helicopter flights (06/10/20)

Getting tourism sector out of dire straits

 NANCY MWAPE, Lusaka

THE tourism sector in Zambia has been hit the hardest by COVID-19 shockwaves, with virtually no international tourist arrivals since March 2020.

Business in the tourism sector almost came to an abrupt halt owing to travel restrictions and subdued domestic tourism activities.

Although the country is now seeing a rise in the consumption of tourism services by the domestic market, this is not large enough to support the multitude of enterprises, especially large hotels that cater for international travellers or the luxury lodges at the higher end of the market.

The World Travel and Tourism Council has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could cut 50 million jobs worldwide in the travel and tourism industry.

Eco-Tourism Association of Zambia (ETAZ) also projects that the pandemic could result in 7,000 jobs being lost, 168 safari lodges and camps closing, while over US$100 million would be lost from the safari industry in 2020.

Similarly, the air transport has also been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the first half of 2020, domestic and international passenger movements at Zambia’s four major airports reduced by more than one million. The four international airports are Kenneth Kaunda in Lusaka, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe in Ndola, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula in Livingstone and Mfuwe in Mambwe.

However, with the easing of lockdown measures, some international airlines have resumed flights into Zambia.

Concerned about the happenings in the tourism industry, Government, in its quest to revive the sector and promote local tourism, has proposed relief measures to be implemented in the 2021 national budget.

Among the measures to be implemented is the time to pay agreement covering income tax and value added tax.

“Government has reduced corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent on income earned by hotels and lodges on accommodation and food services, suspended import duty on Safari game viewing motor vehicles, tourist buses and coaches,” Minister of Finance Bwalya Ng’andu announced during his presentation of the 2021 national budget to Parliament on Friday.

Additionally, Government has also suspended retention fees paid by tourism enterprises, registration fees for hotel managers and licence renewal fees paid by hotels and lodges.

Since March this year, hundreds of workers have been sent on forced leave by hotel owners and tour operators in Lusaka and Livingstone, citing loss of business resulting from cancelled bookings, which grounded the industry.

Visits to the Victoria Falls heritage site were equally suspended on March 28 this year to avert the spread of the novel coronavirus.

However, on May 21, President Edgar Lungu announced the reopening of the Victoria Falls to help revive the sector, with a call on players to also consider tapping into the K10 billion stimulus package to boost their businesses.

To facilitate an increase in tourist arrivals into Zambia, Government has injected over US$1 billion in the construction of four international airports.

Dr Ng’andu announced that Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport and Kenneth Kaunda International Airport would be opened next year.

Likewise, to encourage Zambians to operate in priority sectors, under a multi-facility economic zone or an industrial park, Government has proposed to reduce the investment threshold for Zambian citizens to qualify for tax incentives under the Zambia Development Agency Act number 11 of 2016 to US$100,000 from US$500,000.

Furthermore, the minister of Finance has proposed to suspend import duty on safari game viewing vehicles, tourist buses and coaches.

Livingstone Tourism Association chairperson Rodney Sikumba is optimistic that the reduced corporate income tax will help stimulate the stifled industry.

Further, the association is pleased with the proposed reduced investment threshold in the tourism sector for Zambia to qualify for tax exemption.

“Most of our budget submissions have been taken up and on tax, we seem to have made progress and we are happy about that,” Mr Sikumba said.

Similarly, ETAZ chairman Grant Cumings is thrilled with relief measures given to the tourism sector.
“The announcements are very much appreciated; these are the first meaningful tourism reliefs in many years. In the context of recovery from COVID, the reduction in corporate tax is a welcome relief in a profitable environment, but perhaps not so effective in the current environment where tourism business are generally suffering huge losses, near bankruptcies. When companies are losing money, a tax on profit is not so helpful compared to a time when companies are profitable,” explains Mr Cumings.
For some time, ETAZ members have been crying for the removal of import duties on vehicles. Therefore Mr Cumings feels the relief has come at a right time when companies are struggling to meet statutory payments to employees and Government.

“While such measures are appreciated and helpful, and will be more so in the coming years; much more meaningful help to tourism now would be stimuli, like removing or at least reducing VAT on tourism services, and introducing a meaningful marketing budget and programme to generate new interest and growth in Zambia’s tourism,” Mr Cumings said.

But, acknowledging the difficulties regarding preparations of the 2021 national budget under the current economic conditions, the Tourism Council of Zambia has extolled Government for responding favourably to their submissions in an attempt to stimulate the economy.

Council board chairperson Vincent Mupwaya applauded the Minister of Tourism and Arts, Ronald Chitotela, and his ministerial team in addressing growth constraints faced by the tourism sector.
“It is our considered belief that the announced stimulant package will encourage foreign direct investment and also free up resources for reinvestment, reduce job losses in the tourism sector and enterprise level,” Mr Mupwaya said.

With tourism being the most affected economic sector by COVID-19 shocks, the council believes the industry will only recover if the announced measures are sustained for a reasonable period to allow the sector to recover fully.

And Mr Chitotela says Government is determined to resuscitate the sector through promotion of domestic tourism.

The minister has since appealed to tourism players to start reducing tourism packages for the domestic market so that Zambians could begin to benefit from local tourism services.

Source: Getting tourism sector out of dire straits (30/09/20)

Victoria Falls Community Programme Serves up 50,000 Children's meals

With virtually the entire town of Victoria Falls out of work due to the collapse of tourism, and with no source of income to support their families, children are bearing the brunt of run-on effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our community. Most are not getting more than one small bowl of maize porridge or bread a day. 

Utilising seven churches and school locations across Chinotimba and Mkhosana, the Children’s Feeding Programme, organised by the Pastoral Counselling and Community Support Group and the Victoria Falls Covid-19 Taskforce, aims to supply one meal per day, Monday to Friday for school-age children in the region. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 children enrolled in different schools across Victoria Falls.

Launched on 14th July, the first day of the program opened with two community kitchens serving over 400 children, and one week later all seven community kitchens were operational, with a total of 14,314 meals served over the first 7 days of the programme.

By the second week of the Programme over 4,000 meals were being served each day, and by the 13th day a total of over 40,000 meals had been served by the Programme through its seven community kitchens - reaching a landmark total of 50,000 meals on the 16th day.

The Pastors Counselling and Community Support Group has been central to the introduction of this programme. This group is made up of representatives from the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), and Victoria Falls Ministers Fraternity among others and is open to all Christian affiliations.

Hundreds of face masks have also been distributed to the children through the kitchens, which also gave the pastors an opportunity to take temperatures and assess the health of each child.

The programme is the result of huge efforts on the ground as businesses and communities have joined forces to establish and then scale up this huge operation. Hotels and lodges have donated perishables including vegetables and salads from their kitchen gardens, national and regional companies and businesses donated other food supplies, allowing provision of nutritiously balanced meals. Local restaurants have enrolled their staff to help prepare ingredients and tourism operators have provided supporting storage and transport logistics.

Grateful thanks to the amazing individuals making all this happen on the ground, including Gail van Jaarsveldt, Dani Connolly and Christie Brookstein from the Jafuta Foundation, Chef Russell from Shearwater Adventures, Brian Nyamande and the Pastor’s group who have worked tirelessly to set up this programme.

Gail van Jaarsveldt of the Jafuta Foundation is leading fundraising efforts to support this much needed programme: "We are appealing for those of you that can, to please join hands with us to help in anyway that you can so that our children’s Food Kitchens will continue for as long as we are able, or for as long as they are necessary until international aid reaches us. It costs us 25c to give one child a nutritious meal, once a day."

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of workers in Victoria Falls have been unemployed for more than three months after the implementation of the tourism close-down at the end of March. A significant portion of those retained by the industry are on reduced hours and pay.

For more information - www.victoriafallsappeal.com

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Mnangagwa set to officially open new five-star hotel in Vic Falls

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is this Thursday expected to officially open the five-star boutique Mbano Manor Hotel, the highlight of his tour to the resort town.

The opening of the US$8 million hospitality facility comes after months of fighting with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) by the owners over $1,7 million duty charged for imported designer furniture.

According to an itinerary from the tourism ministry, Mnangagwa is expected to launch the country’s Tourism Recovery Strategy in the morning at the Victoria Falls Rainforest.

He will then tour Victoria Falls airport where a ‘Sanitiser Booth’ has been erected at the international terminal entrance as the industry prepares to welcome tourists post Covid-19.

In the afternoon, Mnangagwa will launch the 18-all suites luxury facility which includes in its accommodation, a presidential suite and catering for high end tourists.

Posting on its Facebook page, leading Victoria Falls tour operator Wild Horizons said: “Good news coming out of Victoria Falls this Monday. The sanitizer booth at the entrance of the international terminal at Victoria Falls Airport is now complete and waiting to welcome guests back to the region when the time is right.

“The booth at the domestic terminal is currently being installed and will be completed by the end of the day. We are so looking forward to welcoming our guests back.”

The booth is part of the country’s strategy to revive tourism which was grounded by Covid-19.

The country expects to use domestic tourism for the rebound.

The launch at the Rainforest which recently opened after more than three months closure, is expected to set the tone for start of domestic tourism, where operators and hospitality industry players are expected to come up with rates favourable to locals.

As for Mbano Manor Hotel, owned by the rich Dr Martha Matifadza Nyazema and her family, the facility’s official opening has been on the cards since last year when the bulk of construction work was completed.

It is located on the edge of Zambezi River in the Zambezi National Park, about 4km outside Victoria Falls central business district.

It targets high-end and wealthy international tourists especially hunters and celebrities seeking effortless safari experience and a quiet secluded private stay.

Its proprietor Dr Nyazema had made an appeal to Tourism Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu in December last year for help to force Zimra release designer furniture imported from South Africa for the hotel.

Zimra was demanding $1,7 million duty upfront at that time which Nyazema had argued was exorbitant.

The Minister had promised to attend to the issue.

Chizema confirmed that the facility had been finally furnished.

“We are ready for official launch on Thursday,” she said.

Rooms cost between US$700 and US$1 900 per night, way above the presidential suite at Victoria Falls Hotel which is goes for US$1 800, and other high end hotels-Old Drift Lodge owned by Wild Horizons and the $15 million Palm River Lodge built through Ilala Lodge and Great Plains partnership.

Since January, Mbano Manor Hotel has been offering discounted rates of US$500 per room. Standard rooms range between US$100 and US$400 in the resort town.

Bulawayo High Court judge, Maxwell Takuva is one of the high profile people who have stayed at the hotel, as he was booked there during the Hwange High Court circuit in March.

Source: Mnangagwa set to officially open new five-star hotel in Vic Falls (06/08/20)

5 000 Vic Falls Children Go Hungry As Feeding Scheme Is Suspended

ABOUT 5 000 vulnerable children in Victoria Falls went without food Friday after the planned nationwide protests on the day saw the suspension of a feeding scheme that has been running for the past two weeks.

The Covid-19 local taskforce initiated a feeding scheme early this month targeting to feed about 9 000 vulnerable children in the country’s tourism capital with hot lunches from Monday to Friday.

The number was brought down to 5 000 as the target.

However, the vulnerable children were left hungry Friday after the feeding scheme was forced to cancel due to a lockdown and residents’ travel restrictions

In a statement, the local taskforce said police on patrol Thursday banned the feeding scheme.

“Dear all! We are not conducting feeding programme at the request of ZRP,” the taskforce said.

The feeding takes place every Monday to Friday with the exception of weekends and there are seven feeding points at schools and churches in Mkhosana and Chinotimba high-density locations.

Some children who had missed the message went to feeding points and found no one while other parents responded angrily, castigating the organisers of the botched protests for disrupting the scheme.

“Today (Friday) our children are not going to get free food from the seven feeding points dotted around Victoria Falls because of this day. This is not right and our children will starve,” one parent complained after learning the free lunch would not be available.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 taskforce has made an appeal for more donations to continue with the programme.

“We need to have a common goal to continue fund-raising efforts to support this. We need constant supplies of food and other materials such as detergents, and roofing sheets to construct foodsheds at feeding points,” said the taskforce in the statement.

Targeted are infants to high school students and is meant to cushion them from hunger as most of their families are struggling to provide daily decent meals.

In the past, Victoria Falls was not on the international food aid radar because of its once flourishing tourism industry. However, the demise of the sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic has left thousands of children exposed to hunger.

This is because the pandemic has rendered more than 90% of tourism workers jobless as the majority of operators, hotels and lodges terminated contracts of workers because of lack of business.

Victoria Falls now needs food assistance like never before, with some adults also turning up to beg for food meant for minors from infants to high school.

The taskforce said after feeding 500 children on the first day on July 14, the number had grown to more than 5 000 per day and a cumulative of 39 934 last Thursday.

Numbers have been steadily rising since the first day with some parents accompanying their children. The minors are given lunch consisting of sadza or rice with cabbage or beans and coleslaw, as well as nutritional porridge for malnourished babies.

Source: 5 000 Vic Falls Children Go Hungry As Feeding Scheme Is Cancelled (01/08/20)

Vic Falls feeding scheme benefits 4000 children

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A daily community feeding programme initiated by the taskforce on Covid-19 in Victoria Falls last week has attracted close to 4 000 vulnerable children.

A steering team comprising pastors from various churches in Victoria Falls and some individuals from the taskforce are overseeing the programme.

They are targeting more than 8 000 school pupils up to Advanced Level, a figure which the organisers say is informed by findings of their research.

From less than 1 000 children fed on the first day on Wednesday last week, the figure shot up to 3 377 on Tuesday this week and increased to 3 870 on Wednesday.

Seven feeding points have been opened at Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Salvation Army, Christian Centre, Family of God, Seventh Day Adventist, United Methodist Church and Trust in God Pre-School.

The feeding centres are in both Mkhosana and Chinotimba high density suburbs.

Kids are served either isitshwala or rice with soya mince, beans and coleslaw.

Various well-wishers in Victoria Falls donated mealie-meal and other items while part of the rice came from the 30 tonnes of rice given to the local taskforce by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare recently.

The programme comes after the realisation that the Covid-19 induced lockdown had left most families facing hunger. The closure of the tourism industry in the resort town left about 80 percent of workers jobless.

The feeding programme is a relief to some families that had resorted to one meal per day due to lack of food.

Ms Nyarai Mudimba (40) of Chinotimba who was at AFM feeding point with her three children, one aged 13, the other one 10 and another less than a year, said she was happy that her chilren are now guaranteed lunch.

“For the past months we have been having one meal which was in the evening and just porridge in the morning. We had resorted to beg from neighbours and I am happy that now we can have two proper meals a day,” she said.

Another parent Ms Florence Ncube (29) whose two children are being fed said: “We were struggling to have decent meals after my husband lost his job in the tourism sector. This is a relief because it’s been hard especially with minor children who need food regularly. I can now make porridge in the morning knowing we are assured of their lunch and then have our supper. All along we have been foregoing both breakfast and lunch to save for supper and kids were now eating left overs in the morning.”

Feeding is from Monday to Friday between 12.30PM and 2PM.

Source: Vic Falls feeding scheme benefits 4000 children (24/07/20)

Another Vic Falls Lodge Turned Into Covid-19 Centre As Schools Are Cleared Ahead Of Opening

 ANOTHER private lodge in Victoria Falls has been turned into a quarantine centre for returning residents as authorities try to clear schools that were being used as isolation places.

After turning an upmarket Phezulu Lodge into a quarantine centre in May, the Covid-19 Matabeleland North taskforce has converted Encore Budget Lodge formerly known as Adventure Zone into a quarantine centre.

This is despite the tourism industry slowly reopening in the resort town following the relaxation of Covid-19 regulations by government a fortnight ago to allow the sector to cater for domestic clients.

Phezulu Lodge was opened for returnees who opt to pay for their stay there at US$85 per day and Monday had six people under quarantine.

A total of 19 citizens have passed through the centre since it opened and most of them have been discharged.

Encore Budget Lodge opened Saturday with 46 returnees including a Namibian truck driver who is in transit.

Four of them were discharged on Sunday.

The 46 were transferred from Mosi-oa-Tunya High School which was all along the main reception quarantine centre for returnees coming through Victoria Falls from Kazungula border in Zambia and Pandamatenga border in Botswana.

Mabhikwa High School in Lupane has also been cleared and the returnees moved to Inyathi Training Centre to prepare for reopening of schools on 28 July.

Matabeleland North provincial social welfare officer Macnon Chirinzepi said: “Matabeleland North now has two operational quarantine centres namely Encore Budget Lodge and Inyathi Training Centre.

“Mosi-oa-Tunya High School and Mabhikwa High School have ceased to be quarantine centres as they have been closed in preparation for opening of schools. The remaining returnees have been transferred to Encore Budget Lodge and Inyathi Training Centre,” he said.

The province now has three quarantine centres as it continues to receive returnees especially from Botswana and South Africa through Plumtree and Beitbridge borders.

Meanwhile, authorities are tracing contacts of a 63-year-old Hwange woman who died last week and was confirmed to have succumbed from Covid-19. The province now has 25 confirmed cases and 13 recoveries as of Monday.

Source: Another Vic Falls Lodge Turned Into Covid-19 Centre As Schools Are Cleared Ahead Of Opening (14/07/20)

Vic-Falls tourism facilities back to business

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls ReporterTHE world’s largest waterfall, Victoria Falls, officially opened to the public Wednesday bringing joy to tourism operators who said the development marks a huge step towards re-opening of the industry.

The world heritage site, comprising the Rainforest, Waterfall and David Livingstone Statue was closed in March as a response to worldwide travel restrictions caused by the novel Covid-19.

Since then the facility had remained closed, only opening for a few days last month when Government allowed tourism operators to take footage to market the prime resort destination.

Last week Government passed a Statutory Instrument allowing Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) to open national parks and some amenities, while also allowing restaurants to open for sit in clients.

A visit to the Rainforest shows that Zimparks had set a health desk at the entrance where temperature checks and sanitization of visitors is done. The floor at the entrance has been tiled to enable cleaning for disinfection purposes.

Along Livingstone Road from the Central Business District leading to Victoria Falls border post past the Rainforest entrance, workmen were busy re-painting road signs.

Being the first day of re-opening, there were a few people on Wednesday, mostly operators, who visited the Rainforest. Zimparks has pegged entrance fees at US$7 or $441 per head. Proprietor of Jacaranda Lodge, Mrs Zhen Lihong who was in the company of her husband Mr Yu Yisheng said the re-opening was the first step towards resumption of regional and international tourism.

“It’s a beautiful sight and we are happy that the Falls have been opened after about 100 days. I was here in February and have been coming to check if it’s open. We hope people will come. We hope everything opens soon because we had tourists that were coming from China and we would want them to come back,” she said.

Another operator from DK Tours and Safaris, Mr Webster Musaidzi said: “We have got connections that we have been dealing with and we will take pictures and share with them on social media for them to see.”

 A tour guide based in Robins Camp in the Hwnage National Park Mr Simon Chinwadzimba said hopes were high for the local sector to attract more tourists.

“We are very excited by the opening of the Falls, which had been closed for some time. This is a very exciting moment and we hope it will attract more people and help the whole sector in Victoria Falls,” he said.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Victoria Falls chapter chair Mr Anald Musonza said the excitement in the tourism sector was immeasurable. 

“We are excited as the tourism and hospitality industry that  the Victoria Falls and national parks are now officially open. This will help us re-open our businesses with confidence that our guests can come and experience the world wonder and do game drives. 

“It was encouraging to see some locals going into the Falls today. We are encouraging all local travel agents and tour operators to start having affordable local packages to kick-start domestic tourism. Now is the time and I am glad to report that Zimparks has put Covid-19 protocols in place for health and safety of staff and guests,” said Mr Musonza.

Some restaurants have since opened in anticipation of coming in of clients. Three Monkeys general manager Mr Greg Paymans said they opened on Tuesday and had put necessary health provisions to cater for clients and staff as they hope for business to start going up.

Source: Vic-Falls tourism facilities back to business (10/07/20)

Zimbabwe: Tourism operators prepare for reopening

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
HOTELS and restaurant operators are beginning to make plans to reopen as the tourism sector begins to awaken following relaxation of lockdown rules by Government last week.

This comes as MARS has launched free testing of tourism workers in Victoria Falls after securing 600 test kits. The tourism sector is among the economic sectors worst affected by Covid-19, which led to international travel bans and subsequently a total shutdown of the industry, with eateries, hotels and activities being closed for a minimum of three months.

Government last week issued a statutory instrument (SI) allowing partial reopening of the tourism industry. Under the new rules restaurants can serve customers for sit-in meals during licensed hours.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) was also allowed to open national parks and other amenities including the mighty Victoria Falls, as well as safari operators to open for local clients.

The partial reopening of the industry for local clients is expected to restore hope in the industry, especially at a time when small operators were almost not sure of coming back to business life.

A snap survey by Business Chronicle around Victoria Falls showed that some restaurant and hotel operators had set dates for reopening and are currently working on putting health modalities for safety of clients and employees.

Many premises have reportedly been disinfected while operators are busy with testing of staff.

Wild Horizons chief executive Mr Gary Archer said the tour operator, which also runs restaurants and lodges is working on some modalities before opening its properties.

He said the new look upmarket Lookout Café, which reopened in January after massive refurbishment, will resume operations once health and safety measures have been fully prepared.

Three Monkeys restaurant, another upmarket eatery is expected to open today.

Leading operator, Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) is also understood to be preparing to reopen its Victoria Falls facilities comprising Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Club, Suites, Lokuthula Lodges and The Boma Dinner & Drum Show this Thursday after closing more than three months ago.

Business Chronicle was told that the facility plans to start with a limited number of rooms and clients so as to maintain social distancing.

Several other players in the industry are reportedly busy facilitating testing of their workers in preparation for reopening.

This comes as the tourism industry has been calling for re-opening saying their counterparts across Zambezi River in Livingstone are already back in business.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Victoria Falls chapter chair Mr Anald Musonza encouraged players in the sector to enforce safety regulations for a safe destination.

“MARS got about 600 kits as part of their corporate social responsibility to the Victoria Falls community and are offering free testing. Covid-19 tests are being done and we encourage every worker coming back to work to get tested and have face masks, gloves, sanitisers and disinfectants.

“I urge everyone to appreciate this gesture and utilise it for a good safe destination for our tourists and our community,” said Mr Musonza. — -@ncubeleon

Source: Tourism operators prepare for reopening (07/07/20)