Tourism players seek to improve disaster management

Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
TOURISM players in Victoria Falls yesterday met to evaluate a spate of accidents that have threatened the sector. Police, service providers, business community and tour operators agreed that action needed to be taken to improve disaster management in the resort town.

Three accidents, one of them fatal, involving tourists have been recorded in the last two months and participants believed it was in their hands to ensure disaster preparedness to safeguard the interests of the tourism sector.

The meeting held at a local hotel was co-ordinated by Shearwater Adventures, which on Monday conducted a mock accident drill at its Zambezi Helicopter Company premises to assess reaction preparedness.

Officer commanding Victoria Falls, Chief Superintendent Jairos Chiwona, chaired the meeting and acknowledged the town was found wanting when a tram carrying 30 tourists was involved in an accident in July.

“We have had three real life accidents and after a mock drill last week by one of our partners we felt it is important to have an evaluation to find a way forward so that we are ready when such accidents occur. In fact we must work together to ensure such accidents don’t happen at all,” said Chief Supt Chiwona.

He said there was a need for every stakeholder to up readiness.

“As police we were found wanting when the tram had an accident. We are not trying to point fingers at anyone but we all noticed that there was confusion during that time as we had problems on how to attend to the scene,” said the police boss.

Four tourists were injured when a private plane developed a fault in air near the Victoria Falls International Airport early last month before a helicopter also carrying tourists was involved in an accident two weeks ago.

“We were happy about the mock drill although we would have wished it was done away from tourists so we don’t scare them away,” said Chief Supt Chiwona.

Shearwater spokesperson Clement Mukwasi said the mock drill was done in the presence of tourists so that they appreciate the preparedness in responding to disasters.