ZimParks claim Vic Falls world heritage status not under threat

 RECENT reports claimed that Victoria Falls’ world heritage status is under threat. The Daily News on Sunday’s Staff Writer Rumbidzai Ngwenya, had a chat with Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo on the claims. Below are the excerpts of the interview.

Q: There are fears that Vic Falls could be delisted as a World Heritage site owing to construction taking place there. How true is that?

A: At this point in time this is based on speculation. This is a transboundary property, managed jointly by Zimbabwe and Zambia. 

Both State Parties (SPs) are not aware, at the moment of the outcomes of the Reactive Monitoring Mission which is the only legitimate body of experts with the capacity to recommend for the property to be on the list of properties in danger not delisting status. Delisting is a different process deliberated on at World Heritage Centre level.

Zimbabwe and Zambia invited the Reactive Monitoring Mission (RMM) following World Heritage Centre Decision 44 BCOM 7b, which recommended for the SPs to invite the RMM. 

The main reasons which triggered the RMM visit and which were subsequently adopted as Terms of Reference (TORs) for the same Mission were:

i. To assess the tourism developments in the core zone, buffer zone as well as surrounding areas of particular concern being the Mosi Resort Hotel in Zambia,

ii. To assess the potential impacts of the Batoka Gorge Hydro Power Scheme in both SPs,

iii. To ascertain and verify the World Heritage Property boundaries,

iv. To discuss the policy, legal frameworks that govern developments in the core zone, buffer zone as well as surrounding areas among other issues.

The RMM comprising of Guy Broucke (UNESCO) and Mizuki Murai (IUCN) led the Mission from the 9th to the 13th of February 2022. 

The main issues were (i) and (ii). Combined ground truthing assessments and consultations were made to both SPs. 

The Batoka Gorge site, the Rainforest were visited by both SPs. On the Zambian side the Mosi Resort Hotel, islands, Zambia Electricity Supply Company water abstraction site among other sites were assessed. 

On the Zimbabwean side a few semi-permanent tourist sites, islands were also visited. The initial Mosi Resort Hotel project scope has been reduced in line with the World Heritage Convention Operational Guidelines, an EIA has been conducted and accredited by Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

The Batoka Gorge Hydropower Scheme (BGHES) has conducted a full EIA and above that an EIA addendum, which specifically addresses the preservation of the World Heritage Property Outstanding Universal Values (OUVs) has been availed. 

The dam wall has been reduced from over 180m above sea level to 175m above sea level to avoid inundation from affecting the property.

From the deliberations the RMM experts advised both SPs that the report from the very experts will be shared to both SPs within three weeks from the 13th of February. 

The experts advised the SPs that in the event that the expert’s results are not as to expectations of the SPs there is room for appeals to be launched before the World Heritage Convention 45th General Conference to be held in Paris, France from the 19th to the 30th of June 2022. 

In light of the above discussion the assertion that there are fears that Vic Falls could be delisted as a World Heritage site is baseless and marred by gross speculation.

Q: Can you explain the situation at the animal corridors? Where they tempered with?

A: All animal corridors are intact. Developments taking place in the city as well as the World Heritage Property consider leaving out animal corridors. 

During the EIA stakeholder consultations phase for all the proposed developments many responses cite the sparring of wildlife corridors as a concern and as such this has been adhered to.

Q: How has the Batoka project impacted on the site’s status?

A: The BGHES dam site is 47km downstream. With the proposed 175m height of the dam wall only 7km of the property is inundated. Fears have been coming from rafters and ecologists for the possible loss of Taita Falcon breeding sites. 

Rafting could still be possible since the dam is a running reservoir, flood gates are regularly opened to lower water levels and therefore paving way for rafting. 

The Taita Falcon surveys over the decades showed that the species has been diminishing in numbers. 

The most recent 2021 Taita Falcon survey conducted by ZimParks Ecologists, Zambezi River Authority and National Conservation Commission of Zambia showed that only two species are left. 

These results have ruled out the possibility of the BGHES having a bearing on the species dwindling population. However, there are plans and considerations that the Zambezi River Authority may consider lowering the dam wall by some 2 or less metres.

Q: What measures are there to ensure that it does not lose its geomorphological features?

A: There is strict adherence to the WHC Operational Guidelines, Joint Integrated Management Plan, State of the Conservation Reports, EIAs. Some cases of interest that show that SPs are truly preserving the geomorphological processes include the turning down of the glass bridge across the falls, the erection of the ferries wheel in the core zone. 

All these are against development of permanent structures within the property and buffer zones that could have some negative impacts on the properties Outstanding Universal Values.

Q: Has UNESCO raised concern over the alleged desecration?

A: It has and as such has asked the SPs to invite the RMM. That was a platform for SPs to explain the alleged potential desecration and held physical assessments to that same effect. We are waiting for the RMM outcome.

Q: Are the falls natural habitat not affected on the Zambian side?

A: They are not affected. Mosi Hotel which is located in the buffer zone beyond the Maramba River. 

This project has been reduced in scope and a full EIA has been conducted. Mitigation measures that point to potential impacts to the natural habitat are clearly and succinctly highlighted. 

The golf course and height of the hotel has been reduced. Gabion blocks have been erected to mitigate bank erosion, among others.

Source: Vic Falls world heritage status not under threat (17/4/22)

Zimbabwe's tourist arrivals drop 40 pct in 2021 due to pandemic

Tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe declined by 40 percent to 375,799 in 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19, a senior government official said Thursday.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy minister Barbra Rwodzi said visitors to Zimbabwe have been decreasing since 2019.

"The country witnessed a decline in tourist arrivals from 2,294,259 in 2019 to 630,369 in 2020. The negative trend further continued in 2021 as arrivals suffered a further downfall of 40 percent to 375,799," she said.

Rwodzi was speaking at the launch of the country's tourism satellite account (TSA), designed to measure the sector's contribution to the economy.

Rwodzi said the TSA report revealed that there is low consumption of domestic tourism in Zimbabwe.

"We are cognizant of the low consumption of domestic tourism and we need to do more to champion increased internal tourism," she said.

According to the TSA, Zimbabwe's tourism sector accounted for 4.25 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a value of 1.03 billion U.S. dollars in 2018.

In 2019, the sector accounted for 6.3 percent of GDP with a value of 1.23 billion dollars.

The data also shows that tourism accounted for 1.56 percent of national employment levels in 2018, with around 100,000 jobs supported and created. 

Source: Zimbabwe's tourist arrivals drop 40 pct in 2021 due to pandemic (01/04/22) 

MJ Air in partnership with Zimparks

 THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has entered into partnership with a local helicopter flights company to offer services for tourists keen to view game and the majestic Victoria Falls.

MJ Air is a wholly indigenous company operating from Kazungula aerodrome on the outskirts of Victoria Falls, from where the activities will be taking place.

For Zimparks the partnership is about creating synergies and getting the much-needed revenue, which the wildlife authority desperately needs for its operations.

While helicopter flights are not new, it is the combination of aerial game view and fly past the majestic Victoria Falls waterfall and gorges that makes the new product unique.

Already there is Zambezi Helicopter Company, Bonisair and Chikopokopo that are offering 15-minute helicopter flights in Victoria Falls.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu who officiated at the launch of the partnership in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, said the business partnership forms part of the enablers to realising Vision 2030.

“This is the birth of a new entrant on the tourism industry, the MJ Air in partnership with Zimparks. As part of our ministry’s goals and objective, we have been encouraging such partnerships,” he said.

“This is a 100 percent indigenous and proudly run and operated by Zimbabweans. Such business partnerships form part of the enablers to achieve Vision 2030.”

Although Covid-19 has adversely affected the tourism industry, partnerships are some of the strategies to ensure domestic tourism recovery.

As such, Minister Ndlovu said helicopter activities would help contribute to revenue generation and providing opportunity for tourists to view Victoria Falls and National Park from the air.

“What we are witnessing today is not only the birth of a new entrant but an immediate impact on employment. I would like to applaud MJ Air for recruiting largely locals,” he said.  “I challenge domestic tourists to find time to explore this kind of experience.”

MJ Air operations director, Mr Gerald Zumbika, said the new service combines flying over the falls and game park.
Victoria Falls is surrounded by Chamabondo, Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks.

“MJ is a proudly owned Zimbabwean company run and managed by locals in partnership with Zimparks. The partnership started in 2020 and rides on building of infrastructure in the tourism facilities,” he said.

“Ours is a game view as well as appreciation of the upper Zambezi as we approach the Falls. We do 30 minutes of a combination of game flights on the outbound and inbound as we go back to landing.”

Currently, MJ Air has employed 16 youths. Zimparks director general, Mr Fulton Mangwanya, said the partnership is a culmination of an enormous collective effort.

“This partnership is coming at a time when Zimparks is making efforts to raise as much revenue as it can to support its mandate of conserving our wildlife,’ he said.

“As you may be aware that Zimparks relies on revenue that it generates for all its operations. Thus, we eat what we kill.”
Matabeleland North director for local governance, Mr Tapera Mugoriya, who was representing Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo, said the province prides itself for being the country’s tourism capital.

Victoria Falls City Town Clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, said more tourism products and activities will widen the local authority’s revenue base as residents will get jobs and pay rates. 

Source: MJ Air in partnership with Zimparks (01/04/2022)

Zimparks partners local helicopter company

 THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has entered into a partnership with a local helicopter flights company to offer flight services for tourists to view both game and the majestic Victoria Falls.

MJ Air is a wholly indigenous company that operates from Kazungula aerodrome on the outskirts of Victoria Falls, from where the activities will be taking place.

For Zimparks the partnership is about creating synergies and getting the much-needed revenue, which the wildlife authority desperately needs for its operations.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu who officiated at the launch of the partnership in Victoria Falls said such business partnerships form part of the enablers to achieve Vision 2030.

He challenged locals to seek such partnerships and to embrace domestic tourism.

Source: Zimparks partners local helicopter company (31/03/2022)

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)

Victoria Falls World Heritage Status Hangs in Balance

 There are fears the Victoria Falls could be delisted as a World Heritage Site following massive construction activities either side of the Zambezi River might have tampered some animal corridors and natural sites.

These have been carried out on either side of the Zambezi River, between Zambia and Zimbabwe since the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added Victoria Falls to that list in 1989.

This was based on its unique geomorphologic formation and remarkable natural beauty.

UNESCO is assessing if the destination still qualifies as a World Heritage Site.

As the custodian of these sites, UNESCO recently sent a monitoring team to assess the current state of Victoria Falls and its environs.

The UN body has the mandate to carry periodic assessments.

Zambia National Commission Secretary General for UNESCO, Charles Ndakala, led the monitoring team.

He mentioned possible outcomes, which include downgrading/red-listing or removed from the list.

"We were assessing as mandated to check the effects of developments on the World Heritage site. This also includes the planned Batoka project as we wanted to engage stakeholders to find out how it will affect tourism upstream," said Ndakala.

He was speaking during a recent meeting with tourism stakeholders in Victoria Falls after similar meetings on the Zambian side.

Ndakala said the committee will compile a report with its findings.

"This process will result in a report that will be presented to superiors at the upcoming UNESCO World Heritage Convention in June," the official said.

"The report will determine whether Victoria Falls continues as a listed World Heritage Site or it gets downgraded which is also called red-listing, or is totally removed from the list."

"This is only assessment for potential impact of the threats since there are certain parameters to be followed in terms of the need to preserve tourism and value of the product," Ndakala said.

Tanyaradzwa Mundoga, Zimbabwe Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry deputy director responsible for Natural Resources, said there is need to safeguard the natural habitat so as to keep Victoria Falls in its pristine state.

Tourism executive, Clement Mukwasi, who is Shearwater Adventures spokesperson, said the industry will be guided by the UNESCO findings.

Victoria Falls' falling water blanket is about 1,7km wide and falls 108 metres down the gorge and is classified as the largest waterfall in the world.

The waterfall is within Victoria Falls National Park, which together with the Victoria Falls bridge, attract a significant number of tourists annually.

It is one of the five World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe, others being Khami and Great Zimbabwe ruins both declared in 1986, Matobo Hills (2003) as well as Mana Pools (1984).

Source: Victoria Falls World Heritage Status Hangs in Balance (23/03/22)

Zimbabwe: Border Re-Opening to Boost Tourism Sector

 Victoria Falls — THE re-opening of Zimbabwe borders has excited players in the tourism sector who say the move would allow free movement of tourists and boost their operations.

The tourism sector has been the hardest hit industry worldwide following imposition of travel restrictions as countries reacted to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Like many parts of the world Zimbabwe's border entry points remained closed to the public while prohibitive PCR test requirements and quarantine terms restricted tourists from travelling.

However, the Cabinet on Tuesday resolved that all borders be opened after the country successfully contained the fourth wave of Covid-19 that was fuelled by the Omicron variant.

In a post-Cabinet briefing, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa said when Cabinet adjourned on December 14, 2021, the country was in the midst of the fourth wave with an average of 4 014 cases per day.

The new cases now average less than 1 000 daily.

This re-opening of national borders comes as Zimbabwe, as a destination, has been getting significant inquiries from tourists wishing to visit the country.

Airlines are also lining up to fly into Zimbabwe, especially to Victoria Falls, with Lufthansa's Eurowings Discover scheduled to make a maiden flight to the country's prime resort at the end of next month.

Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) Matabeleland North chairperson, Anald Musonza, said the industry could now intensify marketing strategies.

"The re-opening of borders across the country is a huge boost to our tourism arrivals traffic as this encourages free movement of the fully vaccinated people," he said.

"As an industry, we hope to start aggressively marketing destination Zimbabwe and its various tourist attractions given the removal of all the major travel restrictions like quarantine and border closures."

Mr Musonza said the industry looked forward to removal of the PCR test requirement as it was a huge cost for clients.

Travellers into Zimbabwe are required to produce a valid negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 48 hours. It costs between US$30 and US$75 to get a PCR test.

Victoria Falls, in Matabeleland North Province, is the country's tourism capital. The province also has numerous tourism activities along the Zambezi River while tourists can also enjoy viewing game animals in Hwange, Chamabondo and Zambezi national parks.

There are also sand beaches, fishing and boating in Binga, a district with a unique and rich culture, which on its own is an attraction to tourists.

Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo, said the Cabinet decision would benefit tourism.

"We are more than happy as a province because the tourism sector will benefit. We were relying on local clients and now planes can start flying in and other tourists come by road through various borders. This is really encouraging going forwards," he said.

Zimbabwe will be on spotlight for leisure and business tourism especially after the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) through its Zimbabwe National Convention Bureau, made remarkable strides in promoting Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) by securing international membership with The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

Zimbabwe joins other leading African countries on this picturesque global stage, namely Rwanda and South Africa, with the UFI accreditation for exhibitions, according to ZTA and reopening borders will encourage conference organisers to consider the country for meetings.

Source: Zimbabwe: Border Re-Opening to Boost Tourism Sector (18/02/22)