ZimParks increases fees

 The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has increased daily conservation and park entrance fees at Victoria Falls and other major attractions with immediate effect.

The increase follows the country’s introduction of value-added tax (VAT) on tourism services, which has now been applied to park entry fees.

According to New Zimbabwe, the revised charges were revealed in ZimParks’ 2026 tariff schedule with higher rates across local, SADC and international visitor categories.

Under the new tariffs, international day visitors entering the Victoria Falls Rainforest through the main gate will pay US$58. Those using the VIP gate will be charged US$174 (up from US$150). Rainforest moonlight viewing for international visitors will cost US$116 compared with the previous US$100.

The authority previously increased international entrance fees from US$30 to US$50, making the latest adjustment a further rise in the cost of accessing one of Zimbabwe’s flagship attractions.

ZimParks has increased conservation fees at other major parks including Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore across all categories. Local visitors will pay US$8, SADC tourists US$18 and international visitors US$24.

Speaking to Tourism Update, Kumbi Chiweshe, Chairman of the Zimbabwe Tour Operators Association (ZTOA), said operators will need to adjust packaging and pricing following the increases.

“Victoria Falls remains one of the world’s most iconic natural attractions and continues to anchor Zimbabwe’s tourism offering. While the recent fee adjustments require operators to recalibrate pricing structures, our members are experienced in structuring multi-country itineraries and managing cost variables across the region.”

He expects most operators to incorporate the revised fees transparently into packages, reassess commission structures where necessary and focus on value-driven positioning rather than price-driven competition. “Competitiveness is therefore determined by overall experience, accessibility, service standards and destination appeal, not entry fees alone.”

On feedback from the trade, Chiweshe said fee changes naturally prompted questions from international partners. “Feedback from our members indicates increased requests for clarity and advance notice on pricing adjustments, sensitivity from certain source markets that are already navigating global economic pressures and continued strong demand for Victoria Falls as a bucket list destination.”

Although there is no “wholesale substitution away from Victoria Falls”, he said “predictability and consistency in pricing remain important factors in long-term itinerary planning”.

With VAT now applied to park fees, ZTOA is advising members to quote clearly and transparently, ensure VAT components are itemised where required and communicate proactively with trade partners to avoid confusion at point of sale.

“Transparency and predictability are critical in international contracting cycles, which often run 12 to 18 months in advance,” said Chiweshe, adding that ZTOA is engaging with ZimParks and authorities to improve consultation and advance notice of pricing changes while supporting conservation funding and tourism competitiveness.

Source: ZimParks increases fees (12/02/2026)

ZimParks Raises Victoria Falls Entry Fees for International Tourists

 Victoria Falls Entry Fees for International Tourists Hiked as ZimParks Revises Conservation Fees

International tourists visiting Victoria Falls will now pay US$58 per person to access the iconic rainforest. This follows a revision of conservation and park entrance fees by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks). The new charges, which take effect immediately, are part of ZimParks’ 2026 tariff schedule and replace the 2025 fee structure, introducing higher rates across several visitor categories.

VAT Drives Latest Increase

According to New Zimbabwe, ZimParks says the latest adjustment is largely a result of Value Added Tax (VAT) being applied to park entry fees. The tax has pushed the international day visitor charge from US$50 to US$58.

This marks another rise in recent years. A few years ago, international entry fees were increased from US$30 to US$50, meaning the cost of accessing Zimbabwe’s flagship tourist attraction has nearly doubled over time.

Revised Charges at Victoria Falls

Under the new tariff sheet, international visitors entering through the Victoria Falls Rainforest main gate will pay US$58, while those using the V.I.P gate will be charged US$174, up from the previous US$150.

Moonlight viewing has also been revised upwards, with international tourists now required to pay US$116, compared to US$100 under the old structure.

Local Visitors Spared at Victoria Falls

Zimbabwean visitors have not been affected by the revised tariffs at Victoria Falls. Entry through the rainforest main gate remains US$7, while access via the V.I.P gate continues to cost US$30. Moonlight viewing fees for locals remain unchanged at US$15.

Increases Extend to Other Parks

While local charges at Victoria Falls remain stable, conservation fees at other major parks have risen across all categories. At Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore, Zimbabwean visitors will now pay US$8, SADC tourists US$18, and international visitors US$24.

Source: ZimParks Raises Victoria Falls Entry Fees for International Tourists (29/01/2026)

See also: ZimParks hikes 2026 fees to access Victoria Falls, international tourists now pay US$58 (25/01/2026)

Victoria Falls Hotel receives Light of Stewardship Award

Herald Correspondent

The Anglican Church has presented The Victoria Falls Hotel with an award acknowledging its stewardship of an in-house chapel that recently celebrated its 90^th anniversary.

The Light of Stewardship Award was given to the hotel’s general manager, Farai Chimba, during a celebratory weekend commemorating the chapel’s nine decades of active service to guests of the hotel and the Victoria Falls community.

“We are honoured to have received this award and we are delighted and proud that our chapel continues to be a source of spiritual inspiration and service to God,” said Mr Chimba.

The Victoria Falls Hotel was established in 1904 and for almost 65 years was the only hotel on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi river, with the nearest amenities and facilities of a religious nature being in Livingstone, Zambia, about 12 kilometres away.

A chapel was installed and dedicated in 1932 and since that time has hosted weekly services and a large number of celebratory or commemorative events such as weddings, funerals, baptisms and confirmations. It is named St Mary Magdalene Chapel, and can seat up to 30 people for a service, with other celebrants able to sit on the lawn outside to hear what is happening inside.

One of the highlights of its history of service was its hosting of members of Britain’s royal family during their stay at the hotel over Easter 1947, when they attended divine service on Easter Sunday. King George VI was on a royal tour of Southern African at the time, a visit aimed at thanking the people of the region for their support of the allies during World War 2, and their visit to Victoria Falls took place over Easter, giving them a time of rest and reflection during a busy, three-month regional tour, mostly by train.

He was accompanied by his wife, Queen Elizabeth – who became Queen Mother after his death in 1952 – and by his daughters, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret.

Mr Chimba said the chapel was a significant and cherished featured of the hotel, which will commemorate its own 120^th anniversary in 2024.

“As one of only two hotels in Zimbabwe to have its own chapel, we are proud to be custodians for the Anglican church of a facility that gives such comfort and spiritual access to so many people, including guests, staff and members of the local community,” he said.

The other hotel with a chapel in-house is Cresta Jameson in Harare.

The 90^th anniversary celebration was attended by the Bishop of the Diocese of Matabeleland, the Right Reverend Cleophas Lunga, as well as by members of the church, the hotel and the National Railways of Zimbabwe. The Victoria Falls Hotel, which was built by the railways authorities just before the construction of the north-bound railway line reached Victoria Falls in 1904, is owned by Emerged Railways Properties, in turn owned by the railways authorities of Zimbabwe and Zambia, and it is leased to The Victoria Falls Hotel Partnership, made up equally of African Sun and Meikles Hospitality.

The anniversary was marked by an official dinner and a mass, at which the chapel was rededicated to its purpose of serving God through providing the community with a house of worship.

“As we look towards a renewed period of growth for travel and tourism in the post-Covid era, we in The Victoria Falls Hotel are inspired by the history and purpose of St Mary Magdalene Chapel and we commit to continued stewardship of this historic facility,” said Mr Chimba.

Clergy in attendance thanked the hotel in general and Mr Chimba in particular for their stewardship and support and expressed delight at knowing the facility would remain both operational and cared for.

Source: Victoria Falls Hotel receives Light of Stewardship Award (30/03/22)

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)

Lamcent Capital to build US$40m hotel in Vic Falls

 Lamcent Capital intends to raise US$40 million through a combination of debt and equity to build a 200-roomed hotel in Victoria Falls. According to the company, US$16 million will be raised through equity, generating an average annual return of 14,6 percent and 12,1 percent on both return on equity and return on investment respectively over 10 years.

The hotel would have an estimated terminal value of US$55 million in 10 years based on an EBITDA multiple of 9,5x. The other US$24 million will be raised through debt with a 10-year tenure at 8 percent interest per annum, assuming a 2 percent US dollar inflation rate and a once-off 1 percent debt processing fee.

“The proposed hotel will spot 200 keys with 120 standard rooms, 48 deluxe rooms, 30 suites, and two presidential, making it an upper upscale scale brand in the same benchmark with Victoria Falls Hotel, Illala Lodge, A’Zambezi River Lodge, Africa Albida Lodges (Safari Lodge, Safari Club, Safari Suites),” said Lamcent.

“The land is aptly situated on the Zambezi River frontage, making it a premium destination for tourists. The river fronting location could be an exclusive offering in Victoria Falls as opposed to many competitors that do not benefit from river views, access to the river offers the potential for other revenues streams (cruises and water activities).”

Efforts are currently underway to have the project listed as a Special Economic Zone and to have it declared as a national project which will unlock tax benefits and funding flexibility.

The project is also eligible for the Afreximbank Construction Tourism-Linked Relay Facility.

Construction, expected to start during third quarter of next year and is estimated to take two years with official opening scheduled for third quarter of 2023.

Source: Lamcent Capital to build US$40m hotel in Vic Falls (25/12/20)

See Also

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (December 2020) Lamcent Capital to build US$40m hotel in Vic Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (28th June 2022) New US$50m riverside hotel development for Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (23rd July 2022) Conservationists’ concern at overdevelopment at Vic Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (25th October 2023) Victoria Falls attracts US$64m new hotel investor.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (9th November 2024) Victoria Falls to get two new upmarket hotels.

 

Hotel slashes rates to cater for domestic market

 Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

VICTORIA Falls Hotel has re-opened its flagship Jungle Junction Restaurant and slashed by half service charges as it shifts focus towards the domestic market.

Victoria Falls Hotel’s clientele was traditionally 95 percent international before lockdown.

The unprecedented closure of the industry due to Covid-19 induced lockdown led to a paradigm shift in terms of clientele focus as international tourists are mostly restricted from travelling.

Victoria Falls Hotel runs four upmarket restaurants that include the Jungle Junction, Livingstone, the Terrace and the Pool Side restaurant.

Jungle Junction Restaurant officially re-opened last Friday with a buffet dinner for invited guests and partners mostly made up of locals as it transforms its dishes to meet the local taste. Deputy general manager, Mr Temba Maripakwenda, assured clients of their safety saying all basic Covid-19 protocols have been put in place. The facility had remained closed since March. The company hopes to ride on the festive season activity to reset its presence on business.

Mr Maripakwenda said the 2020 festive period was a different one as there are no international arrivals hence the focus on local travellers.

He said the hotel has slashed accommodation and meals rates by more than half to cater for the domestic market in line with country’s drive to promote domestic tourism.

“Our guests are happy so far because of our competitive rates. We are a five-star hotel and you can’t find such discounts anywhere.

“We have all basic Covid-19 protocols in place and our staff has been trained hence guests are assured of their safety and protection,” said the deputy general manager. The hotel’s executive chef, Mr Paul Muranda, said they had adjusted meals to tap into the local market. About 95 percent of our clients was international and now we have adjusted our dishes to meet local taste.

This year has been difficult and demand for our industry has been low hence we have to adjust the service to be all encompassing,” he said. — @ncubeleon

Source: Hotel slashes rates to cater for domestic market (22/12/20)

Business activity picks-up in Vic-Falls

 Leonard Ncube

IMPROVED business activity is being recorded in Victoria Falls as tour operators and hoteliers gear up for the festive season.

Some of the hotels and lodges reportedly have significant bookings mostly from locals for the festive season, the first meaningful bookings since the end of March when the industry closed after the outbreak of Covid-19. Tour operators, hotels and lodges closed operations as the country joined the rest of the world to impose travel restrictions. The Government later gave the greenlight for re-opening of the sector with strict adherence to mitigation measures.

The industry has been slowly re-opening in Victoria Falls with African Sun being the first to reopen its properties – Elephant Hills and Kingdom Hotel, more than a month ago.

Shearwater Adventures re-opened its Shearwater Explorers Village Hotel last week while Africa Albida Tourism, which operates Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, The Boma and Lokuthula Lodges is set to open on December 10.

Several other hotels and lodges have also opened and many are offering up to 50 percent discounted rates particularly to domestic tourists.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) chair for the Victoria Falls chapter, Anald Musonza, said many operators were coming back to normal business. Shearwater chief executive Mr Mike Adams said they expect full bookings on accommodation for December.

“We had been on a roller-coaster over the years but Covid-19 is the biggest challenge we have ever encountered. We have just re-opened most of our facilities including Explorers Village and activities like boat cruise and we will be open until Christmas time when we expect a spike in December but January and February will be quiet,” he said.

Adams said they will be offering special discounts to make products affordable to locals. He said the industry will start realizing meaningful business next year.

“There are tough times ahead but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Borders are opening slowly, which is good but for now income streams are still turned off,” he said.

Adams said he was hopeful that clients who had booked when Covid-19 broke out and have not cancelled their trips will rebook next year.

Shearwater Explorers Village was opened four years ago with 16 chalets and has expanded into a 96-room facility

The industry is recovering from headwinds caused by the Coronavirus, which has disrupted global travel and economic activity. Some operators have managed to retain most of the staff while others laid off three-quarters of workers.

Source: Business activity picks-up in Vic-Falls (24/11/20)

Zimbabwe releasing new $10, $20 notes for circulation

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announced that it was releasing a new $10 bank note on May 19 and that it will be followed by a $20 note going into circulation during the first week of June.

While updated with current security features, the faces of both notes have the standard design used on all Zimbabwean currency since the 1980s up to and including the legendary worthless $100-trillion denomination — a vignette of the Chiremba Balancing Rocks in Epworth, about 8 miles from Harare.

The back of the orange $10 note shows a quartet of water buffalo and Harare’s 28-story Reserve Bank Tower. The blue $20 note depicts an elephant in front of a rendition of Victoria Falls.

The bank disclosed six of the notes’ obvious security features: a recognition feature for the visually impaired; a latent image showing the denomination; optically variable ink with a color shift from magenta to green or green to azure; a security thread with “RBZ 10” or “RBZ 20”; a watermark with “RBZ 10” or “RBZ 20”; and a see-through window of the golden bird, the national symbol, on either side.

The Reserve Bank has usually refused to disclose where Zimbabwe’s bank notes are printed, but the website Zimlive revealed that a Boeing 747 registered to Air Atlanta Icelandic of Iceland unloaded 66 tons of bank notes after arriving in Harare from Leipzig, Germany, on the morning of May 14.

Zimlive speculates that based on the flight’s origin, the printing was probably done at the Leipzig branch of Munich’s Giesecke & Devrient. The Munich-headquartered company has a history of doing business with Rhodesia and its successor state Zimbabwe as far back as 1965.

An “official request” from the German government compelled the firm to stop printing Zimbabwean bank notes in 2008 in reaction to political sentiments against the human rights violations committed under the authoritarian regime of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, who resigned in 2017 and died in 2019.

Source: Zimbabwe releasing new $10, $20 notes for circulation (25/05/20)

Non-tourism businesses start to re-open in Victoria Falls

VICTORIA Falls is slowly coming back to life as some businesses reopen but tourism, the town's mainstay, remains the missing link.

A snap survey around town showed that shops, construction sites, bookshops, banks and some offices are now open, joining essential service providers such as supermarkets that had remained open since the start of lockdown on March 30.

The Victoria Falls Municipality (VFM) offices are also now fully open. Tour operators and hotels remain closed but have small teams working three days a week to do maintenance and cleaning duties while the rest of workers have been sent home.

VFM Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube yesterday acknowledged an increase in human activity around town due to reopening of businesses.

"Things are slowly returning to normalcy but with a lot of care as many are scared of the virus. It's important that we look at the possibility of slowly opening our tourism. If Zambia could re-open its tourism just across the river in Livingstone, they might beat us on competition and things will be difficult for us," said Mr Dube.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu recently ordered reopening of tourism activities in Livingstone, a town that directly competes with Victoria Falls in terms of arrivals and activities. However, Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Victoria Falls chapter chairman Mr Anald Musonza feels it's not yet time to re-open the industry as this could expose the country to new infections.
He said rushing might be irresponsible and fatal. "Our main source markets are still locked down hence I see no reason to rush before we put in place proper measures for safety. Social distancing is not easy in tourism because every activity requires guides and close contact. If you look at Zambia, they may have reopened tourism but Covid-19 cases are rising," said Mr Musonza.

"We cannot afford to make a mistake with Covid-19 by opening ourselves to new infections. That might totally shut the industry. We are not ready and it's not yet the right time to open. We are not worried about competition from Zambia because 90 percent of tourists who fly there come to Victoria Falls."

He said the best option will be localised opening of tourism where locals can be allowed to visit the Rainforest, game parks and other activities under strict lockdown rules.

This he said will help stir domestic tourism and also work as a yardstick to measure the impact of gradual opening of the industry The water level on the Zambezi River is now dropping, as is the norm at this time of the year, meaning business loss for the industry, Rafting Association of Zimbabwe chairman Mr Skinner Ndlovu said yesterday.

"Water level has started dropping according to our daily checks on the river," said Mr Ndlovu. He said all rafting bookings for 2020 had been cancelled and some clients were rebooking for next year, leaving the industry at a loss. Rafting usually closes at the end of March due to high water and reopens during the last week of May when water would have subsided to manageable levels.

In March, the Zambezi River Authority reported that water in the river had risen to the highest level in 13 years upstream from Victoria Falls, with more than 4 000 cubic metres falling down the world's seventh natural wonder per second up from an average of 663 cubic metres per second flow rate in February. The sound of the world's largest sheet of falling water is deafening, especially at night. It can be heard as far as the Victoria Falls Airport about 20km away while the rainbow and mist can also be spotted from a distance.

Source: Non-tourism businesses start to re-open in Victoria Falls (18/05/20)

Zambia reopens Victoria Falls after 2-month closure

LIVINGSTONE, Zambia, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has re-opened the Victoria Falls to the public, nearly two months after closing the World Heritage Site due to the COVID-19.

Zambia's President Edgar Lungu on Tuesday made the announcement to re-open the Victoria Falls after touring the site.

Lungu urged all visitors to follow health guidelines of wearing masks and practising social distancing.

The decision to re-open the Victoria Falls was based on the City of Livingstone not recording any cases of the disease, the president said.

The Victoria Falls has recorded the highest volumes of water in a decade, providing visitors with breathtaking beauty and splendour.

Zambezi River Authority, which monitors water in the falls, has predicted a rise in water levels until the end of May.

The re-opening of the Victoria Falls has pleased tour operators who have promised to strictly adhere to health guidelines proposed by the government.

Livingstone Tourism Association Chairperson Rodney Sikumba, who accompanied the president on the tour of the falls, said tour operators look forward to a slow but measured way onward for the tourism industry.

Source: Zambia reopens Victoria Falls after 2-month closure (13/05/20)

Open The Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, Orders President Lungu!

President Edgar Lungu has ordered the re-opening of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site to the public with a call for adherence to Covid-19 health guidelines.

Speaking after touring the iconic tourism site in the company of Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela this afternoon, the President said there is no need to keep the tourism sector suffocating because of the closure of important tourism sites like the falls despite Livingstone not recording a single case of the new corona virus.

He said his Government wants to see the tourism industry slowly but surely getting back to normal and contribute to the country’s economic earnings.

Dr. Lungu said bemoaned the fact that there were no tourists at the site despite it being at its peak this year after several years of low water levels.

And Hon. Chitotela has said the reopening if the falls is a presidential directive which his Ministry will follow and implement to revive the chocked tourism sector.

He said he had received several requests from different sector players to look into the plight of people working in tourism who are almost losing their much needed tourism jobs.

The Minister called on tour operators to change strategies by reducing reliance on the international tourist arrivals and giving incentives to domestic tourists as as a way to help the sector to recover.

And the Livingstone Tourism Association Chairperson Rodney Sikumba said the association welcomes the reopening of the Victoria Falls with special rules now called the new normal by His Excellency the President. The LTA looks forward to a slow but measured way forward for the tourism industry in particular the domestic market.

Mr. Sikumba lamented at the adverse effects the Coronavirus (Covid-19) had on the sector, and reopening of the Victoria Falls would assist businesses earn revenue in Accommodation, water based activities and Curio sales.

The Falls was indefinitely closed to the public on March 28, 2020 following the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

Source: Open The Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, Orders President Lungu! (12/05/20)

Cash crisis in Victoria Falls

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls residents are failing to access their cash as financial institutions have either remained closed or have no cash at their disposal for withdrawals due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown.

Financial institutions including banks closed their banking halls in the wake of the national lockdown as part of measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

They urged people to utilise online banking facilities, which have turned out to be unreliable especially for those earning in foreign currency.

Even mobile money agents have also closed shop and informed their clients to transact electronically. Concerned depositors have appealed for re-opening of banks at least once a week during the lockdown for them to access their money in foreign currency.

Following concerns by citizens, President Mnangagwa two weeks ago directed Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya to ensure that international money transfer agents open to enable citizens to access funds from their relatives abroad.

The international money transfer agents include World Remit, Western Union, Money Gram and Mukuru. Some of these are offered within banking halls.

Although some of the banks have opened to offer such services, they have remained closed for withdrawals leaving those who earn in foreign currency such as tourism workers in Victoria Falls and Hwange stranded.

In Victoria Falls, some tourism players paid their workers this week but access to the funds remains a challenge.

Residents have been frequenting the Victoria Falls Central Business District where they queue in front of banking halls hoping that they might open oblivious of dangers of not observing social distancing.

The newscrew observed that at some banks, workers will be inside the banking halls doing other duties but not open for withdrawals while others will be serving remittance clients.

Western Union service has been reportedly offline countrywide since the start of the week leaving clients stranded while some financial institutions said they were failing to transport cash from their head offices to outlying branches because of the lockdown.

Some bank tellers said they were attending to those making deposits as they desperately need cash. Sometimes players in the tourism industry would pay workers in hard cash as they had direct access to cash from tourism, a privilege affected by Covid-19 which led to cancellation of bookings by tourists and subsequently closure of the whole industry because of lack of business.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe Victoria Falls chapter chair Mr Anald Musonza said none of the employers have cash to pay workers.

“Most companies are paying varying percentages of workers’ salaries with the majority giving them 50 percent for this month. There has been an issue with access to funds and we have escalated it with various bank managers to facilitate as most claim the lockdown affected their access to cash. We hope it will be resolved soon so that workers can access their money,” said Mr Musonza.

Consumer rights association (CRA) spokesperson Mr Effie Ncube implored Government to ensure banks are opened. — @ncubeleon.

Source: Cash crisis in Victoria Falls (24/04/20)

Victoria Falls Reaches It’s Highest Level In A Decade

The Victoria Falls appears to be thoroughly enjoying its alone time, reaching its highest flows in a decade in a powerful display of breath-taking beauty and intensity, which ironically no one is there to witness.

The Victoria Falls rainforest is closed, as like the rest of the world, Zimbabwe is in lockdown to protect against the coronavirus pandemic. However, when the time is right it will reopen, and the Victoria Falls will still be magnificent.

Zambezi River Authority public relations and communications manager Elizabeth Karonga said the high-water levels were due to a significant increase in both rainfall and run-off in the catchment area upstream of Victoria Falls during the current rainfall season.

Authority data shows four times more water is now flowing over the world’s largest waterfall than at this time last year – on April 20, 3,922 cubic metres per second was recorded compared to 1,007 cubic metres per second on April 20, 2019.  

“The Zambezi River normally experiences two peaks or floods, which are more evident in the upper catchment area, upstream from Victoria Falls, and depending on their magnitude, their effects are translated downstream,” Karonga said.

The first wave of floodwaters was recorded at Victoria Falls on March 31, 2020 with a peak flow of 4,289 cubic metres per second, and the second reached the Victoria Falls on April 14, and water levels were, again, rising, Karonga said.

The flow at the Victoria Falls from the second flood is expected to peak by end of April at more than 4,300 cubic metres per second, she added.

The flows at the Victoria Falls have not been this high since 2010, when they were slightly higher; they were also higher in 2009 and 1978, but the highest flows ever recorded were in 1958 when the peak flow reached an incredible 9,436 cubic metres per second, she said.  

In coming weeks, the rise in flows at the Victoria Falls will continue until the rainfall upstream subsides, leading to a reduction in the Zambezi River flows, and subsequently reduced flows at the Victoria Falls. The Falls are expected to peak at the end of May this year.

Ross Kennedy, chief executive of Zimbabwean hospitality group Africa Albida Tourism, said nature continued to show off her power and influence over our lives! 

“At a time when the world is in trouble the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls display immense beauty, rugged power and a glorious snub to the current negatives,” Kennedy said. 

“It has been quite some time since anyone witnessed the majesty and intensity of this level of water flowing over the Victoria Falls, with the last period of such floods being ten years ago.

“What a sad and disappointing irony it is, that at this time that one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World is at its absolute finest, the world is in lockdown and very few if any will get to witness or experience this iconic destination in all its splendour,” he added.

“But, of course, nature being what it is, Victoria Falls will flood again and will be there to impress, enthral and excite many millions of tourists in the decades ahead.”

Africa Albida Tourism operates a portfolio of properties in Victoria Falls, which include Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, as well as Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria Falls Safari Suites, Lokuthula Lodges and The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show.

Source:Victoria Falls Reaches It’s Highest Level In A Decade (23/04/20)

Two Tourists Arrested For Trespassing At Victoria Falls During Lockdown

Two tourists are reported to have been arrested yesterday for allegedly trespassing at the Victoria Falls rainforest which is currently closed in compliance with the national lockdown. Zimbabwe joined other countries across the globe last month in enforcing a total national lockdown in a bid to slow the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak which has seen most businesses coming to a halt.

According to Zimbabwe Parks Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo, the two tourists from Germany and France were on Tuesday intercepted trying to gain entry into the Victoria Falls rainforest. Speaking on the matter with local publication DailyNews, he said:

"‘We can confirm that two foreigners, one from Germany and another one from France were intercepted this morning after attempting to enter into the rain forest in Victoria Falls. We are on high alert, the Victoria Falls entrance is closed due to the lockdown which is currently underway, we are complying with government directive.

"We understand the anxiety and hunger that our tourists have as they want to view the majestic Victoria Falls. We encourage them to be patient they must be at home for now and visit tomorrow. They were fined $300 and released."

The tourism sector is one of the industries hard-hit by the coronavirus outbreak which has seen most countries shutting their borders as a drastic but necessary measure to fight the pandemic.

Source: Two Tourists Arrested For Trespassing At Victoria Falls During Lockdown (15/04/20) 

Victoria Falls closed indefinitely

The Victoria Falls, a world heritage site, has been closed indefinitely with immediate effect, the Zambian government announced Wednesday.

In a letter addressed to the Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) and signed by National Heritage and Conservation Commission Regional Director Oliver Kandyata, the director said that the closure was compelled by the outbreak of the COVID-19.

"The decision to close the site has been necessitated by the issue of the COVID-19 so that the public strictly adheres to the Ministry of Health guidelines with regards to the control of the disease," the letter read in part.

The Victoria Falls, locally known as Mosi-O-Tunya (translated as smoke that thunders) is one of Seven Wonders of the World and one of Zambia's most visited tourist destinations.

The falls is said to be the largest curtain of falling water in the world and is shared between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean authorities have also closed the gates to the Victoria Falls National Park due to COVID-19.

Source: Victoria Falls closed indefinitely (02/04/20)

Victoria Falls hotels shut down

TOURISM operators and hoteliers in Victoria Falls have resolved to suspend operations to prevent spread of the deadly Covid-19 (coronavirus), which has seen the country recording three positive cases.

Lately, players in the industry have suffered massive cancellations of bookings resulting in room occupancy rate dropping to average two percent in some hotels while others are already at zero. Three quarters of jobs have since been lost after employers terminated contracts while some workers have been sent on forced leave or placed on half salary because of lack of business.

Africa Albida Tourism (AAT), a hospitality group with hotels, lodges and restaurants across Southern Africa yesterday announced that it will suspend operations at all its properties in Victoria Falls for the next three months starting on Tuesday next week.

In a statement, the hospitality group's chief executive, Mr Ross Kennedy, said the affected properties are Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria Falls Safari Suites, Lokuthula Lodges, The Boma Dinner & Drum Show.
 
Operations will resume on July 1, subject to the prevailing health situation.

"After deep and careful consideration with our board, shareholders, works council and employees we have made the difficult but correct decision to temporarily cease operations at all our Victoria Falls properties for the next three months. Our last day of operation will be March 31, 2020," said Mr Kennedy.

He said the group considered health and welfare of employees' families, community and tourists. 

"The plan is to commence operation on July 1 but this may be further extended or even shortened depending on the prevailing situation. This is a time of huge uncertainty in our country and across the world and we as AAT have to do our part to curtail the spread of the virus," said Mr Kennedy.

The reservations office will remain open while a skeleton staff will be on standby to deal with affected clients. An official from the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe said operators had been told to follow suit.

"We have engaged the leadership and the industry that if we all care for all our staff we must follow suit and do what's right. We can recover money but lives lost are lost for good and the families will have lost breadwinners," said the official on condition of anonymity.

He said the tourism industry was facing shutdown as a result of coronavirus which has resulted in massive cancellation of trips and bookings worldwide. Some small lodges in Hwange have also reportedly stopped booking people while some businesses and organisations have also closed shop.  

Meanwhile, Victoria Falls municipal police fought running battles with Zambian vendors yesterday as residents expressed concern about laxity of authorities at the country's ports of entry. The vendors cross through Victoria Falls border post every morning to sell vegetables, tomatoes, green mealies and other farm produce as well as clothes and return to their country in the evening.

Authorities at the border said they were waiting for official communication to close the border.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has also said the industry is uniquely exposed with an estimated 50 million jobs set to be lost globally. WTTC appealed to governments to come up with tourism funds to support the industry.

Source: Victoria Falls hotels shut down (26/03/20)

Vic Falls workers 'vulnerable' after UK tourist tests positive for coronavirus

A British tourist to Zimbabwe tested for the coronavirus in Victoria Falls last week, whose results initially indicated a reaction to malaria medication, was diagnosed positive upon returning home over the weekend.

The tourist, from Windsor, was booked at Ilala Lodge in the resort town. She was there from March 7 to 10.

District medical officer Dr Fungai Musimani initially tested the patient, and provincial medical officer Purgie Chimberengwa told TimesLIVE that it was not the dreaded coronavirus.

After testing positive for Covid-19 upon returning home to the UK, the patient’s agent communicated with Shane White, the marketing director at Wild Horizons, the tour company that hosted the woman.

In a memo copied to all staff members at Wild Horizons, it was advised they must get tested and all company facilities treated.

“She [the woman] complained about feeling unwell and a doctor was called. He agreed she was suffering from a reaction to malaria medication. When [she] got home, she was diagnosed with coronavirus. We have literally just this moment been told. Please can you do all necessary in respect of your staff and cleaning vehicle etc,” states the memo.

Wild Horizons corporate affairs director Barbara Murasirwana told TimesLIVE that the matter has been referred to the ministry of health and childcare. She also communicated with the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe.

The country's minister of health and childcare, Dr Obadiah Moyo, did not respond to calls from TimesLIVE.

Workers from Ilala Lodge said they have been advised to self-quarantine with their families.

“The situation is very tense at work and we are scared. We are still hosting visitors who had been booked through our agents before the travel ban. When they get into the lodge, there is no testing that takes place. We carry their bags at times even without gloves, give them food and clean their rooms. We are just vulnerable and even the company management is panicking,” said one worker.

A worker at the Shearwater Explorers Village lodge said he felt more exposed as he worked at the front office.

Workers earn 80% of their salaries in foreign currency, and the other 20% in local currency. But because of the global ripple effect of the coronavirus, their salaries will be cut by 50%.

“A few days back, the company wrote an e-mail advising us that salaries were going to be slashed by 20% and then today [Monday] morning they circulated another memo announcing a further 50% slash. Bookings lined up for the year have been cancelled. Today we only have nine guests booked in the lodge,” he said.

"We try to sanitise every environment as we have been trained, but we feel that is not sufficient."

Following news of the suspected case, Victoria Falls Primary School on Monday sent a memo to parents suspending all sporting activities and fixtures. School trips have also been suspended. Lessons are expected to continue, albeit without any guarantee.

An estimated one million visitors from all over the world visit Victoria Falls, with a population of 33,360 as of the 2012 census, each year. Recent statistics indicate that the bulk of visitors are from Germany, China, Japan, South Africa and the UK.

Border posts between Zambia and Zimbabwe, like Victoria Falls, are still not screening for the virus. It is the same at the Kazungula border post to Botswana in Kasane, where screening is only done on the Botswana side.

Zimbabwe is yet to officially confirm its first coronavirus case.

Source: Vic Falls workers 'vulnerable' after UK tourist tests positive for coronavirus (17/03/20)

2 Victoria Falls men arrested in card cloning scam

TWO Victoria Falls men have been arrested for fraud after cloning a bank card and withdrawing US$2 400 from an unnamed victims' account.

Courage Mdereseri (26) and Eugene Ndlovu (36) from Chinotimba suburb and Ngugama Crescent respectively used a card cloning machine to wipe clean a man's bank account.

Cloning refers to criminal duplication of one's Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, which criminals use to steal cash from bank accounts.

The duo was not asked to plead to fraud charges when they appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Lindiwe Maphosa on Wednesday.

They were both remanded to 25 March on $500 bail each. They were both asked to surrender their travelling documents, report twice a week at Victoria Falls Police Station and reside at their given residential addresses.

For the State, Mr Onias Nyathi said sometime last year in December, the duo in the company of an accomplice who is still at large, used a card cloning machine to withdraw money from the complainant's account.

"In December 2019 and at African Duty-Free shop, the accused persons possessed two swiping machines to clone the complainant's credit card and went on to steal his money by withdrawing it from his bank account without his consent and knowledge," said Mr Nyathi.

The complainant, whose name was not stated in court papers received a notification message from his bank that he had withdrawn US$2 400 from his account. Investigations by the bank with the help of police officers, revealed discovered that Mdereseri was the culprit and he implicated Ndlovu, resulting in their arrest.

Source: 2 Victoria Falls men arrested in card cloning scam (13/03/20)