Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
BUSINESS is beginning to pick up in Victoria Falls with volumes of traffic both for people and vehicles having increased in the past weeks.
The tourism town has been dormant for more than five months owing to international travel ban and intercity travel restrictions.
Government has been cautiously reopening the tourism industry following consultations with the industry which culminated in the launch of the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy last month.
Early this week Government lifted the ban on domestic and international flights, a few days after allowing tourism activities to restart.
About two months ago Government allowed restaurants to open but not for sit ins, with bars also this week being allowed to sell beer for off-site consumption only.
The latest developments have brought hope to both major players and downstream sectors that rely on tourism as they anticipate a pick in business due to resumption of tourism.
Restaurant operators said they are hopeful the reopening of the industry will revive business and implored Government to lift the ban on intercity travelling.
There are mixed feelings between high end restaurants and downtown operators.
Upmarket Three Monkeys Restaurant general manager Mr Greg Paymans said they expect business to pick up next year.
“We have seen an influx of local tourism over the past weekends and are hoping that by early next year the foreign tourists will join us and the town will pick up again.
“We have had a fair support from our Victoria Falls locals but unfortunately lunch trade is never as good as dinner trade but it has allowed us to tick over slowly and look after our staff,” said Mr Paymans.
Lookout Café, another high-end restaurant run by Wild Horizons is employing a wait and see approach to business.
“We will take the position of wait and see because we are not sure how much business we will realise. South Africa, which is one of the key source markets, is still closed,” said Wild Horizons general manager Mr Gary Archer.
One restaurant owner Ms Sandah Gilbert said she reopened her business last month and remains hopeful that business will pick up.
“We are trying to get clients but due to Covid-19 there hasn’t been any meaningful business so far. We opened in August but the flow of customers is very low because most people are not going to work or relocated to the rural areas.
“We used to get business during conference days and we hope the gradual reopening of the industry will bring back meetings so we get people. They should lift restrictions on intercity travel so that people start travelling,” said Ms Gilbert.
Proprietor of The Vic Falls Club Mr Bekithemba Mpofu said they are still working on Covid-19 protocols.
“We expect our clients to slowly start coming as we also recover from effects of Covid-19. For now, we are still closed but we hope the situation will improve as time goes on,” he said.
Some indigenous operators are also looking forward to good business as tourism starts picking up.
Mr Collet Mumpande of Glomio Restaurant and Ms Thuli Nyoni of God’s Will Restaurant, both in Mkhosana said business is very low as they sometimes get an average five customers a day.
“Sometimes we throw away food because there are no customers. We hope to get more customers since they are opening tourism now,” said Ms Nyoni.
Combined Victoria Falls Residents Association incoming chair Mr Kelvin Moyo said the reopening of tourism industry is good news for residents whose disposable income had been eroded by demise of the industry. — @ncubeleon
Online Reporter