Vic Falls needs $30m facelift

president of Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, Mr Emmanuel Fundira, has said.
The event which will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia is a huge opportunity for tour operators as it is likely to bring brisk business.
In an interview, Mr Fundira said money was needed to rehabilitate infrastructure as well as constructing more lodges for the comfort of the visitors.
“There is an accommodation deficit and as you know we will be hosting 5 000 delegates and you can’t expect us to house them in a golf course.
“This means there is need for us to build a conference centre so that we have a decent venue that can accommodate the guests and that needs money,” he said.
He said that there was also need to upgrade Victoria Falls International Airport so that aeroplanes from different destinations can land directly at the resort town.
Mr Fundira said they required resources and called on different stakeholders to come in and contribute into making the event a success.
“Victoria Falls needs a facelift because at the moment the town is marginalised and lacks development when it is supposed to be exotic.”
He said most of the money generated in the town needed to benefit Victoria Falls.
Mr Fundira said safari operators did well this year as they had a 20 percent increase in revenue compared with last year.
“Tour operators are an important body part of the tourism sector as they form the pillar of that industry.”
He said tourism was the cornerstone of African success hence the need to promote and support the sector.
Mr Fundira said the major problem they were facing was the increase in permit costs when operators were facing financial constraints.
“Many operators are facing a budgetary problem which is leading to continued price rises thereby making the region uncompetitive and losing in tourist arrivals at the end of the day.”
He said at the moment their market is mainly Asia and China and they were hoping to come up with marketing strategies to entice more markets.