Sidumisile Mabena
Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) made its presence felt as the South Africa Under-19 cricket team landed at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport via an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Monday afternoon.
It was a historic moment as the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 landed at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport for the first time, with the ZTA on hand to shower the young Proteas with the national dress fabric, which has become a symbol of patriotism and tourism.
Spearheading the welcome were ZTA Bulawayo regional manager Lindarose Ntuli and Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) director of airport operations Charles Nyoni.
The corporate body responsible for showcasing the country’s pristine wildlife and nature tourism experiences, as well as cultural, rural and township tourism offerings, last week facilitated the New Zealand Under-19 men’s cricket team’s trip to Matopos National Park — a feat that saw the young Black Caps stepping away from the crease to enjoy Zimbabwe’s natural verdure.
In a side interview, South Africa’s skipper Muhammad Bulbulia said he enjoys how loving the people of Bulawayo are.
“I’m extremely excited. We have enjoyed our time here in the past, and we are happy to be back here. This warm welcome makes it feel like home,” he said.
The young Proteas are participating in the 16th edition of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup co-hosted by Namibia and Zimbabwe from 15 January to 6 February 2026.
Mr Nyoni said the historic feat brings glad tidings, noting that the introduction of the Dreamliner is set to benefit the local aviation fraternity, given the size of the aircraft, which has a capacity of 254 passengers (24 in business class and 230 in economy class).
As is the norm, the aircraft was given a water cannon salute upon arrival, with those on hand clapping and celebrating.
The historic landing also demonstrated that ACZ’s runway has the capacity to handle long-range wide-body airliners such as the Boeing 777 and 787, a plus for local aviation.
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