Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri , Business Reporter
THE safari industry which is believed to have lost US$100 million in revenue per year over the last two years is on the rebound following the opening up of global markets and relaxed travel restrictions owing to reduced Covid-19 pandemic infections.
The industry, like many others, was not spared by the devastating challenges brought about by the pandemic.
In an interview, Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ) president Dr Emmanuel Fundira said the sector was on the rebound.
“The sector is slowly moving from a zero-base post Covid-19 pandemic and is on a rebound which is promising. The performance appears to be positive but obviously it will take quite a bit of time to get back to pre-Covid levels where the industry was doing extremely well and contributing close to US$100 million towards the GDP,” said Dr Fundira.
He said the losses witnessed in the past two years negatively affected the sector in many ways such as operators failing to have enough resources to mount effective pouching initiatives which would have helped the industry and also making it easier to restore the habitat that in itself also suffered considerably.
Dr Fundira said the recovery process would take about three to five years.
He said: “The recovery process will almost be like double the incurred loss. To think of in 2020 and 2021 the industry was just on its knees, while there was nothing to really talk about. We are beginning to see some green shoots and it requires also quite a bit of push and incentives from all sorts of angles to ensure that the same industry can be able to go back to its former glory.”
Dr Fundira said policy makers should consider extending lease agreements by at least two years to cover the 20/21 losses when the industry suffered catastrophic challenges.
In addition to the consideration, he said they should be given tax incentives to aid quick recovery.
“On the downside, global inflation caused by the Russian and Ukraine war, will result in the industry’s growth expected to be subdued,” said Dr Fundira.
In terms of poaching, which is becoming the greatest threat to wildlife, Dr Fundira said it was a global menace that necessitates communities that live with wildlife to be incentivised and rewarded for anti-poaching initiatives.
He said in addition, tax credits should be awarded to industry champions who have invested more in anti-poaching activities and have become success stories.
Meanwhile, the country’s hunting industry expects to attract more visitors this year than before the Covid-19 pandemic, even as the war in Ukraine and other economic challenges weigh on numbers.
Dr Fundira said the hunting season, currently underway in the Southern African nation, was experiencing exponential growth from traditional markets including the US and revenues were projected to be 15 percent higher this year than the US$100 million earned before the pandemic.
He said hunting is expected to lure 10 to 15 percent more people this year than three years ago.
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