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 Covid-19 scare clarified

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

GOVERNMENT has clarified the case of a British tourist who visited Victoria Falls recently and reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 in her country, saying the woman has actually not been tested and is only in self-quarantine.

Last week, the woman, who is believed to have been in the company of her husband, was reportedly rushed to Victoria Falls Hospital after developing fever-like conditions while checking into a local hotel.

Medical doctors cleared her after she responded to anti-malaria drugs and she exited the country via South Africa on March 10. In a statement on Monday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo reported that the woman had tested positive in UK, raising fears among residents and tourism staffers in Victoria Falls that the coronavirus may have spread.

After making follow ups with UK authorities yesterday, Government established that the woman was not tested in her country as she did not show symptoms of the virus. The director of Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira said there was no need for Zimbabweans to be scared as no positive case has been recorded. She, however, reiterated the need for people to be cautious.

“Contrary to what the media reported and after we made follow ups, those people are in self-quarantine in UK in line with that country’s guidelines because they don’t fit in the Covid-19 case definition. This is what we got today (Tuesday) that nobody tested them and as such we don’t have an official communication from UK that they tested positive although they are sick with other problems. This, however, doesn’t relax our efforts to monitor all their contacts,” said Dr Manangazira.

She said health officials will go ahead with surveillance measures, especially following up on people the couple may have had contact with while in Victoria Falls and even in other parts of the country.

It emerged that a travel agency that had raised the alarm had not verified the information before relaying it. Fear gripped the country’s prime resort town following the Monday announcement as residents felt the tourism and health sectors needed to tie some loose ends to make sure safety is guaranteed. 

Some questioned the country’s preparedness to detect and deal with the pandemic, which has been declared a national disaster in many countries including Zimbabwe yesterday.

Workers at the hotel where the British couple had checked in had put themselves on self quarantine although health officials had remained cautious. 

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Victoria Falls chapter chairperson Mr Arnold Musonza called for maximum sensitisation of citizens at all spheres of life.

“As operators, we have requested to be given guidelines and offered to help with whatever resources are required to fully sensitise the public. We are expecting sanitizers from South Africa as we feel that precaution should start with us. 

“We appeal to every section of society, especially churches, to strongly adhere to safety measures because imagine if something happens at a workplace, the same worker will go to a church gathering and then home and the virus can spread to all those people. We need to be extra cautious at individual level,” he said. — @ncubeleon 

Source: Vic Falls Covid-19 scare clarified (19/03/20)

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)

Zimbabwe considers financial implications of Kazungula Bridge

Zimbabwe is evaluating the financial implications following its integration into the Kazungula Bridge, transport minister Joel Matiza has said.

Zimbabwe and Namibia were roped into Kazungula Bridge Project in in 2018 as equity partners to help boost construction of the project.

The 750-metre bridge at Kazungula crossing over the Zambezi River  is being constructed at the confluence of Zambezi and Chobe rivers, the meeting point of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mr Matiza told a regional summit last week that Zimbabwe was in the process of counting the cost of the project.

“We are currently doing computations of the cost of the project and later present it to the cabinet for approval to allow us proceed with the project,” said Mr Matiza.

Once completed, the Kazungula Bridge is expected to facilitate seamless trade within the SADC region.

But the US$294-million project, touted as one of the major SADC economic integration success stories, has been experiencing delays partly due to lack of finance.

Source: Zimbabwe considers financial implications of Kazungula Bridge (16/03/20)

Zimdollar wreaks havoc

THE Zimbabwean dollar has continued its dramatic meltdown as it weakened even further against the greenback this week, 263 days after it was made the sole legal tender.

The local unit has plummeted from ZW$29 to the United States dollar to ZW$40 this week on the parallel market as the authorities struggle to defend the increasingly unstable domestic currency.

Government freed the exchange from February 20 last year as part of currency reforms. It then brought back the hitherto demonetised Zimdollar on June 24, unexpectedly banning the multi-currency system which ensured exchange rate stabilisation and ended hyperinflation in 2009. However, the currency reforms have failed to shore up the local unit which is in freefall.

Currency and exchange rate volatility have had a serious impact on the economy and people's livelihoods with a recent wave of price increases of basic commodities such as bread and cooking oil.

Standards of living for ordinary Zimbabweans and business operations have deteriorated, amid tumultuous price escalations and rapid erosion of income with year-on-year inflation nudging towards the 500% mark.

In a desperate bid to stabilise the exchange rate, government this week set up a "Currency Stabilisation Taskforce" among a cocktail of measures.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube announced this week the formation of the taskforce spearheaded by his ministry and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and which will include members of the Monetary Policy Committee and Presidential Advisory Council. The new taskforce will be chaired by Ncube.

Among the measures announced by the Treasury boss is the introduction of a "managed Floating Exchange Rate System", in which an electronic forex trading platform based on the Reuters system has been put in place with immediate effect.

"Zimbabwe has had no transparent and effective foreign exchange trading platform for a long time. Consequently, official rates have not been effectively determined, while a thriving parallel market has developed. To correct this anomaly, an electronic forex trading platform based on the Reuters system is being immediately put in place," Ncube said.

Source: Zimdollar wreaks havoc (13/03/20)

First destination Spa will soon open in Victoria Falls

The largest and first purpose-built spa is set to open in Victoria Falls in September, placing Zimbabwe’s top tourist attraction on the map as a wellness destination, and tapping into the boom in wellness tourism.

The spa, being constructed by hospitality group Africa Albida Tourism, whose accommodation portfolio is made up of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria Falls Safari Suites and Lokuthula Lodges – Victoria Falls, will be named Victoria Falls Safari Spa.

It will include a 280m2 central area featuring manicure and pedicure stations, private relaxation rooms, a restaurant, a hair salon and change rooms. There will be three separate treatment rooms (one double and two singles) located in a tranquil bush setting.

Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) chief executive Ross Kennedy said: “We want to create the leading spa and wellness offering in the region, and in doing so we believe travellers will be encouraged to visit Victoria Falls to take advantage of the spa.” Open to inhouse guests, guests from other hotels and local residents, Victoria Falls’ first destination spa will be ideal for wellness weekends, Monday to Thursday breaks, couples’ and wedding packages where bridal parties can book the spa out, Kennedy said.

“Located in peaceful indigenous woodland – away from the normal hustle and bustle of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge estate – rich in birdlife, and with the odd warthog or bushbuck passing by adding to a sense of calm and nature,” he said.

Built under canvas, and using the natural landscape, with suspended rope bridges crossing gullies to the treatment rooms, its design will be sympathetic to the environment, he added.

The treatment rooms will have outdoor showers, while the central area will also feature a plunge pool, water features, with the restaurant to serve healthy dishes, including salads, wraps, juices, smoothies and coffees.

Victoria Falls Safari Spa manager Michele Vickery, who has 15 years’ experience as a beauty therapist, said treatments will include manicures, pedicures, waxing, tinting, facials, body treatments and massages, as well as hairdressing services. The spa is expected to create eight jobs. “We are determined to avoid creating a cookie-cutter spa experience. The design, décor and treatment menu will be linked to and represent Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and the products used will be made in Africa, and contain African botanicals,” Vickery said.

“We will offer a unique and authentic experience, built upon indigenous botanicals, seed oils and
healing practices, ancient spiritual traditions, special minerals, local ingredients and culinary
traditions, history and culture,” she said.

Source: First destination Spa will soon open in Victoria Falls (12/03/20)

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)