Work, leisure, and a cruise on the Mighty Zambezi

Prosper Ndlovu in Victoria Falls

IN a fast-paced and demanding modern work environment, with constantly tight deadline cycles, lengthy production meetings and numerous pursuits of profit, the pressure can be draining for workers. Occupational health experts, backed by research insights, suggest that such a pattern must be regularly broken through adequate rest and recharge to avoid the risk of burnout that comes with long hours at work and pressure to meet targets.

When a person experiences burnout, experts say the tendency is to become demoralised leading to decreased job performance or satisfaction, reduced creativity and output, and, at worst, physical health issues. For many people, regular holiday time may seem like a luxury yet it is a critical necessity – a vital de-stressing tool that not only helps maintain employee well-being, leading to improved job satisfaction, but also promotes both physical and mental health.

Amid the increasing mental health burden and disintegrated social support systems, conscious employers and professional member bodies organise regular outreach programmes that blend work and leisure. These programmes provide their teams with the opportunity to disconnect from work-related stressors, enjoy rest and recharge both physically and mentally so that they can return to work with renewed energy and a clearer perspective.

The breath-taking adventure on a sunset cruise on the Mighty Zambezi River, playing golf and the tour of Victoria Falls delivered the perfect reboot moment this week for nearly 300 professionals who are members of the Chartered Governance and Accountancy Institute of Zimbabwe (CGAIZ). Beginning with the tour of the Victoria Falls at 2pm, a few hours after arrival on Wednesday, the large delegation was shuttled by buses to the Zambezi River shortly after 4pm. Different boat cruise operators took turns to load the visitors, and the cruise journey began.

Spread across the expansive river, the cruise boats moved slowly and would sometimes close the gap to allow teams to cheer and wave at each other or take photos, at some points stopping completely whenever something spectacular caught the delegates’ attention. From spotting hippos playing deep in the waters and crocodiles basking on the sandy riverbanks, to the captivating scene of three big elephants swimming across the river from the island between Zimbabwe and Zambia towards Livingstone, the experience was unforgettable.

Picking up pace to allow the best view for their clients, the cruise boats moved close to the elephants, and for a moment, wild cheers ensued as visitors jostled to catch a glimpse of the elephants, with some scrambling to take pictures with their cellphones. Brought together by a common need for leisure and relaxation, the travellers, despite race, gender and age differences, were united in admiring the beauty of ‘mother nature’ and bonded along the two-hour memorable journey while chatting and munching on the snacks offered by boat cruise hostesses.

Costing about US$45 per person, and given that all cruise ships were full, this shows the seriousness of the service as a tourist drawcard and explains why the trade has so many players. Among the giant cruise operators are Batoka Africa, Wild Horizon, Shearwater and Khanondo with its King Lobengula brand and Pamushana among others.

“This is an incredible experience and exciting arrangement. We started with leisure activities before getting down to serious conference,” said one of the male delegates from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
A female delegate from the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said combining work and leisure was a perfect deal for workers.

“In the past, we would wish to participate in these activities on the last day but failed as everyone would be rushing back,” said the delegate.

Commenting on the matter, CGAIZ deputy president Lifneth Moyo said creating special time for leisure was a critical necessity for all workers.

 

“People who attend the conference come from different sectors and are a busy lot given that they do a lot of work often under pressure,” she said.

“While coming to the conference is all about learning and sharing critical insights, we also expect the delegates to unwind and relax at some point. They must enjoy the surrounding environment with activities such as the tour of Victoria Falls and the boat cruise on the Mighty Zambezi River, among others.”

By bringing 300 professional delegates to Victoria Falls, we are also contributing to the promotion of domestic tourism as hotels, lodges, transporters, entertainment groups, suppliers and many more are benefiting from our visit to the resort city.

While individual families regularly enjoy the adventure using small boats, the larger boat cruise business is sustained mainly by big groups who visit the prime tourist destination either for business conferencing or just for holiday, said one of the crew members.