Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
TUCKED in the southernmost part of Zimbabwe is Beitbridge District, a treasure trove of untapped tourism potential. This remote area, often overlooked by travellers, boasts an array of natural wonders, rich cultural heritage and historical sites waiting to be explored. From the majestic Limpopo River to the sacred Dulivhadzimu Gorge and the vast, untouched wilderness of the Greater Mapungubwe Trans-frontier Conservation Area (GMTFCA) (to the west), and the Greater Limpopo Trans-frontier Conservation Area (GLTFCA) (to the east) Beitbridge is a hidden gem ripe for discovery.
With its unique blend of African culture, breath-taking landscapes, and exciting outdoor activities, this remote district has the potential to become a major tourism hub, attracting visitors from across the globe.
While the tourism sector in Beitbridge District has not been kind to big players, small-time players have carved their niche market and are thriving.
Their success is a direct contrast to how the big boys have failed to gain a foothold.
Tourism is one of the major national economic development anchors in Zimbabwe contributing at least 10 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.
Commonly referred to as a world of wonders, Zimbabwe has adopted robust policies to speed up economic growth through accelerated development of tourism facilities and products.
This is in line with the achievement of the envisaged Vision 2030.
According to the Government, the full implementation of the devolution concept will ensure that every part of the country develops economically from the grassroots level.
Accelerated economic growth has become a dream for the Beitbridge community, domiciled in a district in the southernmost part of the country, which sits on perhaps a virgin tourism zone.
The area has great potential to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through the exploration of tourism development opportunities by mainly small time players who are mostly thriving on compact tailor made products.
This region is rich in natural wonders and historical sites including the Alfred Beitbridge constructed in 1929, which is a common place for educational trips for children from Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The district derives its name from this bridge which now carries only pedestrians and rail traffic following the construction of the New Limpopo Bridge in the early 90s.
A seasoned travel and tourism operator within the GMTFCA (Nottingham Estate), Mrs Bridget Tsuro said small-time players have identified a niche market with the potential to keep them busy throughout the year.
“Besides having one of the magnificent borders, Beitbridge can also be considered a tourist town. There are a number of extraordinary attractions people do not know of and these may boost both domestic and international tourist arrivals,” she said.
“We have archaeological rock formations, dinosaur fossils and bushmen paintings within the GMTFCA, where the bushmen used to live and store their food. This gives us a competitive edge over bigger players.
“In addition, we have a wide range of wildlife, birding and animals such as leopards, giraffes, hyena, elephants and crocodiles. In fact, we have the big five within Beitbridge District,” she added.
She continued: “I believe that the same effort people make driving to Victoria Falls can be done with increased visits to sites in Beitbridge. What the local tourism players need to do is be aggressive in marketing and have innovative packages to have arrivals throughout the year.”
Mrs Tsuro emphasised the need to market sites through billboards within the border town.
She said the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) booth at the Beitbridge Border Post should have enough information on tourism attractions within the district such that they can easily market on behalf of local operators.
She said ZTA may also consider Beitbridge when bringing tourists during the Sanganai/Hlanganani tour.
“That alone would market Beitbridge better as most of the tourists just pass by the border not knowing about the interesting attractions around here,” added Mrs Tsuro.
Matabeleland South Youth in Tourism representative, Mr Zibusiso Ndlovu said it is critical for communities living around Beitbridge Border Post, which is a gateway to the Southern African region, to consider venturing into tourism projects that market Zimbabwe’s multicultural environment.
He said the opening of small businesses such as restaurants that offer cooked traditional food or shops with artefacts and local traditional attire would be noble.
Such services, he said, should be provided at designated kiosks constructed along the highway for easy access by travellers coming in or leaving the country through the Beitbridge Border Post.
Those kiosks should also house platforms where cultural traditional dance and music is showcased to the visitors by the locals.
“This can be in the form of Traditional Dancing Squares,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Veteran travel consultant, Mrs Bertha Mutowembwa-Muleya who also runs the Zebra Hilltop Lodge that was uniquely built using quality wood along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway said the district has vast opportunities in agro-tourism, health tourism, and cultural tourism.
Other potential investment areas fall under village tours, community-based tourism projects, water sports — paragliding, canoeing and rowing sectors.
She said all these can be done on a compact tailor-made scale by several players.
Mrs Mutowembwa-Muleya said people need to be educated on these opportunities so that they get confidence to venture into them and successfully benefit from their endeavours.
“At the same time, it is important for our councils and the road authority to ensure that we have trafficable roads to access water bodies for water sports and any other tourism attractions or recreational facilities,” she said.
“You will note that for these medium players to realise their great potential and reap maximum benefits, there is a strong need for marketing and in some instances people are not aware of what is available.
“Tourism players need to be educated on the power of social media and digital platforms. They need to be more creative in advertising and creating interest in their products and services.
“In addition, local authorities need to come on board in giving confidence, making it easier to be compliant on registration, licensing, levies payments and contributions and tax regime.”
Another area with the potential to attract tourists to the district is the sacred Dulivhadzimu Gorge, which lies three kilometres west of the border post.
The town’s oldest high density suburb, a clinic, a primary school, a soccer team, a pharmacy and the local stadium have all been named after this legendary gorge — a preserve of the Makakavhule clan.
A local businessman, Mr Charles Mulowa commonly known as Uncle Terry has created a game park with lions and other wild animals just close to the area which is attracting locals and visitors from other towns.
“The growth of infrastructure of Beitbridge now provides a huge opportunity for tourism players to market the brand Beitbridge or a one-stop shop where you find a mixed bag of intertwined activities,” said the vice-chairperson of the Beitbridge Business Expo, Mr Nqobile Ncube.
“Besides the traditional safaris, we now have magnificent infrastructure projects which can be used for educational tours. For instance, the new US$3,6 million Palm River Industrial Park and Special Economic Zone in Beitbridge west, the Beitbridge Juice Processing Plant, Citrus Plantations, mining ventures and other projects in the town which fall under the border modernisation.
“We need to look at Beitbridge as a total package on agro-tourism, safaris, industries, restaurants, water games, site tours (Zhovhe Dam), and integrated farms among other things,” he said.
“You will note that beyond recreation, we can take children on domestic tourism to appreciate a number of science, business, agriculture development and historical components. A total package will see our tourism sector growing in tandem with downstream industries.”
Mr Godfrey Koti, a tourism strategist, said the area has a lot of opportunities for the introduction of adventure tourism products, which include hiking, wildlife safaris, mountain bike tours and river cruises along the Limpopo River.
He said culture tourism, which includes organising festivals, showcasing local traditions, and supporting community-based tourism projects could be a game changer for the various players in the district.
Another potential tourism site of note, he said, was the old Beitbridge town site near Mutetenwa some 30km along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road.
“We have a lot of tourism investment areas in this district which should be fully exploited. More has to be done to develop or market the Tshipise Hot Springs 120 km east of the border town, construction of a museum to chronicle the culture and heritage issues including a list of sacred mountains like the Jopembe,” said Mr Koti.
“In the far west of the town lies the Tuli National Park on the border of Gwanda and Beitbridge, which has a rich history of colonialism including the Fort Tuli, Pioneer Corridor and graves of some locals and colonialists, which needs to be aggressively marketed to grow the tourism industry.”
Investors may also consider setting up a cultural village in Beitbridge East where one of the local unique ethnic groups is found, the VhaPfumbi, who are known for rain-making and have rich cultural history on chieftaincy succession issues.
Beitbridge is dominated by the VhaVenda ethnic group, which has a rich culture that if researched and documented, could bring another dimension to historical enthusiasts.
An hour’s drive southwest of Beitbridge town will lead one to Sentinel Safaris where the country’s component of the GMTFCA begins.
This area has been home to the Bristows for over five decades and has become a very significant tourism feature since the discovery of the large dinosaur fossil beds the family has known since 1950.
The safari is also rich in fauna and flora with over 300 bird species, Mopani woodlands, Mapungubwe Heritage and archaeological and middle Stone Age sites which are more than 750 years old.
It is understood that there are at least 15 known archaeological sites that are between 190 and 240 million years old although we continue to discover more.
One of the sites was discovered around 1994 when a member of the family stumbled on the clearly visible vertebrae, ribs, pelvis and leg bones in their sandstone sarcophagus while walking on the farm with friends.
As the tourism sector continues to evolve and grow, it is clear that investment will play a critical role in shaping the future of tourism around Beitbridge District.
derick.khumalo