Livingstone: Vic Falls World Heritage Site Refurbished

Rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site in Livingstone has been completed in readiness for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly which starts this Saturday.

The site is home to the Victoria Falls and also houses the Zambezi Sun Hotel, the main venue for delegates to the UNWTO general assembly.

Government released about K6 million for rehabilitation of infrastructure at the site which included erection of an 800-meter steel fence from the Victoria Falls Bridge to Zambezi Sun Hotel, construction of a modern curio market, a contemporary lavatory and upgrading of walk ways, among others.

Speaking during the official opening of the site on Monday, Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Nkandu Luo urged Livingstone residents to guard the structures jealously.

Professor Luo said Government will continue to upgrade infrastructure at heritage sites to attract more tourists and increase revenue collection needed to improve people’s lives.

On the construction of a curio market, Prof. Luo said she is happy that traders, who for years had been selling their crafts in makeshift stores, will now have a decent place to conduct their business transactions from.

Source: Livingstone: Vic Falls World Heritage Site Refurbished (22/08/13)

Telecel lights up Victoria Falls bridge

TELECEL is lighting up the Victoria Falls bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia as part of its contribution to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly being hosted by the two countries next week.


The bridge illumination, at a cost of about $100 000, has provision for up to 1,8 million colour options. Telecel’s sponsorship covers illumination for 75 000 hours, which means the bridge illumination will continue for 15 years.

The project, which is the first of its kind, is being worked on through several partners, most notably SSLI and Philips Electronics. Telecel will also ensure that its voice and data services are optimised for visitors to the Victoria Falls.

A new Telecel office has been opened in Victoria Falls, which will be officially commissioned before the official UNWTO General Assembly programme starts.

The shop, along with technical improvements in Victoria Falls and the surrounding areas are intended to provide lasting high quality mobile and Internet connectivity in the area.

Commenting on the decision to power the illumination of the Victoria Falls bridge, Telecel Zimbabwe general manager Ms Angeline Vere said the company saw the bridge not only as an iconic monument but as symbolic of the link between the two countries co-hosting the assembly.

“The bridge not only links Zambia and Zimbabwe but it is a shared structure jointly owned by the two countries.

“As such it can be seen as a symbol of the ties that bind the two countries together and of their joint hosting of the UNWTO General Assembly.

“Moreover, since Telecel is paying for the illumination of the bridge for the next 15 years, it will be a lasting monument to the holding of the UNWTO General Assembly and continue no doubt to delight visitors to the Victoria Falls.

“It seemed fitting too for a communications company like Telecel to sponsor an enhancement of the bridge, which provides such an important transport communication link between the two countries.

“The concept of an iconic bridge such as the Victoria Falls bridge being illuminated in a manner that allows 1,8 million different colour possibilities fits in well with Telecel’s focus on innovation and technology, a focus for which it is becoming increasingly well known,” she said.

Source: Telecel lights up Victoria Falls bridge (21/08/13)

Zimbabwe pays US$40M Kariba debt, paving way for Batoka Dam

The Zimbabwe Government has paid US$40 million towards its Federation-era power debt to Zambia, paving the way for construction of the Batoka Gorge hydropower station. The payment was made through power utility ZESA, which is wholly-owned by government.

The debt was for the shared cost of the Kariba Dam construction and the associated infrastructure. It also included proceeds of the sale of assets belonging to Central African Power Corporation (CAPCO), a power firm jointly owned by the two countries as members of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dissolved in 1963. CAPCO was running the Kariba power project for the two countries but was disbanded in 1987.

ZESA spokesperson, Fullard Gwasira, confirmed the development last week saying the debt payment would help pave the way towards the construction of the Batoka Gorge hydropower station. He also indicated that the debt balance would be paid within the next seven months.

"We have already paid US$40 million to Zambia as part settlement of the US$70,8 million debt," Gwasira said. "The balance will be cleared on or before March 2014 as we have total commitment to our side of the bargain to ensure that we have a clean bill with our Zambian counterparts. ZESA Holdings has rendered its cooperation to its Zambian counterparts, a move that will go a long way to ensure the smooth execution of the Batoka Hydro power project to achieve security of electricity supply."

Zimbabwe and Zambia last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly construct the Batoka hydro electric project with each country expected to get 800MW of electricity from the project, a development which would help boost power supply in the two countries.

The agreement on the project, situated about 50km downstream of Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River, was however dependent on Zimbabwe's commitment to pay off the debt it owed Zambia over CAPCO.

The Batoka project, estimated to cost about US$3 billion is expected to be built and operated by a private company for a period of years before transferring ownership to the two states.

Recently the State Procurement Board awarded tenders to China Machinery Engineering Company and Sino Hydro Corporation to expand Hwange and Kariba power stations respectively. The expansion of Hwange will see the additional of two units with a combined generation capacity of 600MW while the expansion of Kariba Power station will add 300MW of electricity to the national grid. Zimbabwe has also embarked on the refurbishment of its power stations to boost generation capacity.

Source: AllAfrica.com

Zambezi National Park restocked with animals from Save Conservancy

The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority is in the process of translocating stocks of wild animals to suppliment populations in the Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls, ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly next week.

The Authority is in the process of translocating 151 wildebeests, 25 elands, 60 zebras, 100 impalas and 10 giraffe from the Save Valley Conservancy in Masvingo. Outgoing Wildlife and Natural Resources Minister Francis Nhema yesterday witnessed the translocation of several animals being released into the Boma holding at Chemabondo.

Nhema expanded “We are translocating the animals from Save Valley Conservancy to Zambezi National Park to beef up the population there. In the past we had translocated 101 wildebeests, 34 impala, 16 eland and 18 zebras. Today we have seen the translocation of another consignment of 20 eland, 64 impala, and 17 zebra. The animal population had decreased, in short, due to poaching and other factors and we are now correcting past mistakes.

“There are several reasons why protected areas require population supplementation. Some of these reasons include increasing visibility for wildlife tourism, strengthening the genetic pool, destocking, overpopulated areas, establishing the desired sex ratios and increasing prey base for large carnivores," he said.

Source: The Herald

Kaza aim for regional visas

The five member countries involved with the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) are aiming to have uniform visas by the end of this year, Zambian Tourism and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo has reported following a meeting for KAZA Ministers of Tourism, Wildlife and Natural Resources in Angola.
Ms Masebo said a common visa would be a milestone for the region as it would allow for the free movement of people and goods within the five-member countries and ultimately promote tourism in the region. “One of the points to note from the just-ended Angola meeting is that by December 31, 2013, it is hoped that we shall have the common KAZA-TFCA visa between five member countries. This will allow for free movement of people and goods and it will be a milestone for tourism promotion,” Ms Masebo said.
“We have come from a very successful KAZA-TFCA Ministers meeting in Angola. During the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in Livingstone, this month, delegates will be taken to KAZA-TFCA projects in Zambia,” Ms Masebo said.

Kaza meeting calls for shared vision for regional development

The Angolan Minister of Hotels and Tourism, Pedro Mutindi, called for the member countries of Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) to be united for the materialisation of the initiative for the benefit of all.
Speaking at the closing act of the KAZA ministers meeting, held in Menongue City in the southern Kuando Kubango province, the Minister, who has chaired the meeting, highlighted the need for the member countries (Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana) to be more and more united so that issues related to economic, academic, social and tourist development may be achieved.
At the opening of the meeting the governor of Kuando-Kubango province, Higino Carneiro announced that two aircraft will be made available for air patrol and transportation of personnel deployed at the Luiana, Mavinga, Mucusso and Luengue parks for the protection and management of wildlife resources. The ministers of Zambia and Namibia, Sílvia Masebo, and Huaekua Herunga, respectively, attended the meeting.
More about KAZA
The Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area is situated in the Okavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge.
It is set to become the world's biggest conservation area and will eventually span an area of approximately 520,000 km2 (similar in size to France). It will include 36 national parks, game reserves, community conservancies and game management areas. Most notably, the area will include the Caprivi Strip, Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta (the largest Ramsar Site in the World) and the Victoria Falls (a World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World) and has the potential to insulate the region from the effects of flooding and climate change. The natural resources contained in the KAZA TFCA are also critical to the sustainable development of the region on account of their inherent and enormous socio-economic value.
Kavango-Zambezi promises to be southern Africa's premier tourist destination and vitally important wildlife refuge, with the largest contiguous population of the African elephant on the continent, representing over half the total population.
Source: Angolan Press Agency

Cresta Sprayview Hotel re-opens

CRESTA Sprayview Hotel in the resort town of Victoria Falls has reopened after undergoing a $1,7 million refurbishment ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly, Cresta Hotels chief executive Mr Glenn Stutchbury said. In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, Mr Stutchbury said he was happy to note that the hotel which reopened on 31 August was already fully booked for the general assembly.

“Yes the hotel has reopened after a $1,7 million refurbishment project. The hotel is reopening just in time for the general assembly. We are really looking forward to that event considering that all the 65 rooms have been taken by delegates coming in for the tourism indaba. We finalised the rooms for UNWTO with the relevant officials yesterday (Thursday) and we are very happy with the development,” he said.

Mr Stutchbury said refurbishments were done in the 65 bedrooms, the restaurant, two bars and three conference rooms spread around a swimming area.

“We also bought new furniture, linen among other things to give the hotel a new look,” he said.
Cresta Hotels acquired the hotel on a lease basis from its owners to make its first entrance into Zimbabwe’s premier tourist destination.

Cresta Hotels currently operates eight hotels in Botswana, one in Zambia and four in Zimbabwe, through Cresta Marakanelo listed in Botswana and Cresta Hospitality owned by Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-quoted TA Holdings Limited.

Cresta Sprayview was built in the 1960s as Peter Motel and was redeveloped into Sprayview in the 1970s.

The UNWTO general assembly is expected to provide the country with an opportunity to market itself to delegates from 158 countries set to attend.

Source: Cresta Sprayview Hotel re-opens (06/08/13)