Lovebirds

When I'm lucky enough to be in Victoria Falls I'm often up early out and about in the bush, birding and photographing my way around. The other morning, much to my surprise, I found this little fella, a lone lovebird, near to the Big Tree along Zambezi Drive. It is very likely an escaped bird, as many have been kept in cages by local residents and escaped over the years, although they are rarely seen. The only naturally occuring species, the black-cheeked lovebird, is extinct in the local Victoria Falls area.
Photo Credit: Lovebird (Peter Roberts)

The Victoria Falls Rainforest

Last year we developed an extensive section of pages on the Victoria Falls Rainforest for the Victoria Falls Guide (all articles researched and written by Peter Roberts).
The Victoria Falls Rainforest
Animals of the Rainforest
Plants of the Rainforest
Interesting Rainforest Facts

Photo Credit: Falls Spray (Peter Roberts)

David Livingstone and the ‘discovery’ of the Victoria Falls

2013 marks the 200th anniversary of David Livingstone's birth. Last year, on the 157th anniversary of his 'discovery' of the Victoria Falls, we looked at Livingstone and his legacy in relation his most famous discovery for the Victoria Falls Guide (all articles researched and written by Peter Roberts).
David Livingstone and the ‘discovery’ of the Victoria Falls
For more detailed backgrund on David Livingstone and his Zambezi travels see To The Victoria Falls.
Photo Credit: David Livingstone (To The Victoria Falls)

Zimbabwe to build Victoria Falls Convention Centre

 The Zimbabwe Government is to construct a multi-million dollar convention centre at Victoria Falls.

The proposed centre is to be the venue for the United National World Tourism Organisation General Assembly jointly hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia in 2013.

A 1,000 hectare piece of land has been proposed six kilometres south of the iconic tourist attraction and natural wonder, Victoria Falls.

The Zimbabwe Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi said his government was in a process of holding Environmental Impact Assessment stakeholder consultations in accordance with the provisions the Environmental Management Act.

The Minister said the exact details of the centre would be revealed after the stakeholder consultation were held, but initial plans show the project will have a seating capacity of 3-5,000 delegates with several committee rooms, a golf course, a five-star and a three-star hotel.

“We prefer to work quietly on the construction of the convention centre because we do not want to scare away investors,” he said.

In an interview with local Zimbabwean news agency, Chronicle, the Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande, said the current capacity of hosting events of a bigger magnitude was limiting the town.

“It was high time for the convention centre and to make sure that we are really positioning Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe to host such big events,” he said.

Source: Zimbabwe to build Victoria Falls Convention Centre (03/02/12)

Zimbabwe to launch Tourism Masterplan

Zimbabwe: Tourism Master Plan to Be Launched
AllAfrica.com
2 February 2013

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation has helped Zimbabwe come up with a Tourism Master Plan that should see the country's tourism and hospitality industry more than double in growth and tourist arrivals by 2015.

In an interview at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain, the organisation's director for technical co-operation and service Dr Harsh Varma, said under the plan that is now awaiting a launch in Harare in a few weeks, Zimbabwe will be helped to increase its tourist arrivals from 2,2 million to 5 million in two years.

"The master plan takes into cognisance Zimbabwe's political, economic, social, cultural, technical and geographical aspects and when implemented should see tourist arrivals increase from the 2010 figure of 2,2 million to 5 million in 2015.

"Jobs in the industry should increase from the current 200 000 to 450 000 by the same year, while the country's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product will increase from 9,1 percent to 15 percent by the same year," said Dr Varma.

Asked how he had come up with the fugures, Dr Varma, who met with the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Walter Mzembi, early yesterday morning, said there was wide consultation and investigation on the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe, during the crafting of the plan.

Read complete article here.

Shoestrings Lodge, Vic Falls

And here's one of my sponsors - Shoestring's Lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The liveliest backpackers in town, central location, good value, crazy bar and great friends. Thanks for everything guys, you really are amazing.

Batoka Gorge Dam

Here's an issue which I reported on in the Zambezi Traveller back in March 2012. Amazingly, in Feburary 2013 few people in Victoria Falls realise that this is very much happening. Talk of daming the Zambezi River below the Victoria Falls has dragged on for so many years that everyone is probably assuming that it is never going to happen because it hasn't happened yet. Well, it's happening - at the beginning of last 2012 the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe agree settlement of a debt problem which had previously blocked agreement on the Batoka dam project. World Bank funding is also in place, and latest reports on the ground are that the road infrastructure to the dam building site is well on its way to completion.

Batoka Dam One Step Closer

Batoka Power Scheme Revisited

There's also some background to the development here - Save the Batoka Gorge, and a summary of developments as at the September 2012, written for the Victoria Falls Guide, here. Photo Credit: Zambezi Traveller