Wild Horizon invests US$8 million in 60-room lodge

LEADING tourism and Hospitality Company, Wild Horizons, has invested US$8 million in a new four-star hotel in Victoria Falls.

The new facility, named Waterfalls Lodge, will add to the city’s rapidly growing infrastructure and is set to further enhance the country’s appeal as a prime international tourist destination.

Victoria Falls has seen a surge in infrastructure development under the Second Republic and continues to attract substantial investments in new facilities, reinforcing its role as a premier destination in the country’s tourism growth strategy.

The tourism sector, a vital foreign currency earner that employs thousands of people along its value chain, is central to achieving the Government’s Vision 2030 of making the country an upper middle-income economy.

The target is to build a US$5 billion tourism economy by 2025, with Victoria Falls playing a critical role in this achievement.

The new Waterfalls Lodge is expected to significantly contribute to this goal. The lodge will have 60 rooms and is expected to create employment for about 100 people, adding to the more than 700 workers already employed by Wild Horizons.

In an interview, the company’s corporate affairs director, Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa-Hughes, said the lodge is scheduled to open in July next year

“It’s going to be a 60-room lodge and will employ 100 people. It is going to have conferencing facilities and we are due to open in July 2025,” she said.

“It’s going to be an US$8 million project and I can confirm that 40 percent of the rooms have been booked even before construction is completed.”

Mrs Murasiranwa-Hughes said construction is already underway opposite Chogm Park along Reynard Road, with foundations and footings completed and builders now working on side walls.

Wild Horizons has been a significant player in Zimbabwe’s tourism industry since its establishment in 2004 and has since expanded to Zambia, Botswana and South Africa. Over the years, the company has invested a cumulative US$425 million in various projects, contributing to the sector’s robust growth.

Its flagship properties include the luxurious Old Drift Lodge along the Zambezi River and the renowned Elephant Camp. The new Waterfalls Lodge will join these esteemed facilities, offering high-quality accommodation at competitive rates.

The company also operates a leading eatery, Lookout Café, on the edge of the Zambezi River Gorges.

The company has won several conservation and hospitality awards at various fora such as the Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo, while Trip Advisor also rated Lookout Café, Old Drift Lodge, Elephant Camp and Imbabala Safaris, among the best. — @ncubeleon