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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau
THE flights deal sealed between Air Zimbabwe (Airzim) and Botswana-based charter airline Mack Air, which will see the introduction of scheduled flights to various tourist resorts in the country, has raised anticipation of a rebound of tourism in Kariba.
The absence of scheduled flights to Kariba has been identified as a major setback for tourism development in the resort town owing to the long distance travelled by road.
Tourism players in Kariba, which boasts of wildlife, breath-taking scenery and Lake Kariba, believe that having a scheduled flight is the tonic they have been looking for.
Package planner Mr Cephas Shonhiwa said the deal will be a game-changer in tourism development as most people dreaded the four-hour drive from Harare to Kariba.
“Most of our clients are businesspeople who have tight schedules and would want to be in a destination, enjoy and be on their way,” he said.
“However, that is a bit of a challenge when you have to travel long distances.
“The distance increases when people connect from other destinations in the country such as Victoria Falls and Masvingo.”
Other operators want to prepare packages that involve travelling between destinations and not having flights means they spend more time on the road than enjoying what the destination has to offer.
There are fears that Kariba Airport could be small to handle larger planes.
“Our main worry is that the airport may not be big enough for the planes that could be available. If that is addressed, we believe that the good times could roll for Kariba,” said another operator.
Airzim and Mack Air signed an agreement for the launch of the “Flame Lilly Hoppa” domestic and regional air service.
The agreement will see the introduction of daily domestic scheduled air services between Victoria Falls, Harare and other major tourist destinations such as Hwange, Kariba and Chiredzi.
It will also include services to camps and lodges within the environs of the major tourist resorts.
On the regional front, the agreement provides for the launch of daily scheduled air services between Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique.
Air Zimbabwe introduced a weekly flight between Harare and Victoria Falls passing through Kariba about three years ago, but the flights were suspended owing to challenges faced by the national carrier.
Tourism is slowly recovering in Kariba and the development is expected to further increase the momentum.
Online Reporter