adminManagement Authority director-general Mr Vitalis Chadenga said local tourists contributed largely to the increase.
“An increase of 1 485 tourists has been recorded at the Mana Pools since the beginning of this year,” he said.
“At least 1 645 of the tourists were locals while 568 were international,” he said.
Mr Chadenga said the number of international tourists rose from 326 last year to 568 this year.
Wildlife is one of the major tourist attractions in the country and the park offers prime game viewing sites based on its unique water system.
Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, Mana Pools is one of the most popular parks in Zimbabwe based on its wildness and beauty, together with the wide range of large mammals, over 350 bird species and aquatic wildlife.
Mana means “four”, referring to the four large permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the middle Zambezi.
These 2 500 square kilometres of river frontage, islands, sandbanks and pools, flanked by forests of mahogany, wild figs, ebonies and boababs, make up one of the least developed national parks in Southern Africa.
It has the largest concentration of hippo and crocodiles and large dry season mammal populations of elephant and buffalo. — New Ziana.
Online Reporter