A Natural Wonder
The Zambezi River
The Victoria Falls
Formation of the Victoria Falls
People of the Victoria Falls
Enter the Ndebele
Discovery of the Victoria Falls
In Livingstone's Footsteps
Development of the Railway
To the Banks of the Zambezi
Development of the Falls
To The Congo
Development of Tourism
Development of Victoria Falls Town
Recent History
Further Information
Collectables

    
Discover the Victoria Falls with the Zambezi Book Company

To The Victoria Falls

Development of the Victoria Falls

Recent History



The following text is adapted from 'Footsteps Through Time - A History of Travel and Tourism to the Victoria Falls', researched and written by Peter Roberts and published in 2017. Please visit the Zambezi Book Company website for more information.



Stability and Growth

In 2011 Zimbabwe relaunched its international tourism marketing brand under the banner ‘A World of Wonders,’ recording new record levels of 2,423,280 visitor arrivals over the year, including 1,892,868 tourist arrivals and 381,261 overseas visitors. Arrivals from Asian countries reached new highs of 88,782 visitors, while North American countries grew to 89,756 and European arrivals to 154,303 (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, 2012).

Occupancy rates for the seven largest hotels in the Falls, offering a combined total of just over 1,000 rooms, were up twenty percent in the first half of the year. Overall annual average occupancy, however, remained low at just over thirty percent (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, August 2011a). Ross Kennedy, director of Africa Albida Tourism and a director of the African Travel and Tourism Association recorded:

“Victoria Falls Safari Lodge had the best July occupancy in 10 years at 70%. The Boma Place of Eating had its second best July ever. Only July 2007 saw more covers per night at an average of 183, while 2011 had on average 163 per night. The settling and stability of the economy since dollarisation in 2009 has meant that the supply chain has normalised and is thus operating to international standards. In addition it has meant that use of foreign currency, pricing and access to goods has normalised and we are once again a tourist-friendly destination” (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, August 2011b)

Mr Kennedy noted that the UK market, along with other traditional markets that had been ‘staying away’ from Zimbabwe for the last decade, had started to return, thanks to the success of local destination marketing campaigns such as the ‘Go To Victoria Falls’ initiative, and that many tourism operators and agents who had moved their business over the river to Zambia between 2000 and 2010 were also returning.

A total of 200,125 visitors to the south bank Rainforest were initially reported during 2011 (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, 2012). The figure appears to have been subsequently revised down to 120,251 visitors, including 72,151 international tourists (Anchor Environmental Consultants, 2019). Zambia recorded a total of 133,053 visitors for the year, of which 40,206 were international visitors. A combined total of 215,380 visitors to the Falls were reported to U.N.E.S.C.O. but with the figure only representing the first 11 months of the year (World Heritage Committee, 2010). The subsequently revised figures suggest a combined total of 253,304 visitors over the year.

The upgraded four-star and 91-room A’Zambezi River Lodge reopened in May 2011 following a $4.5 million renovation programme, including development of a 100-seater Conference Centre.

During 2011 local tourism operator Wild Horizons proposed operating tours to Cataract Island from the south bank, having received permission to use the island for tourism purposes. The isolated island is a valuable refuge for the fragile rainforest flora sustained by the spray of the Falls - and highly impacted by visitor numbers across the rest of the site. After consulting local opinion on the proposal Wild Horizons withdrew their plans on the understanding that the island would continue to be protected in its pristine natural state.

The Bridge bungee briefly became world news when a freak accident occurred on New Year Eve 2011. During 22-year-old Australian Erin Langworthy’s jump the bungee cord snapped just short of its maximum extension and she dropped head-first into the Zambezi River. Miraculously she survived with just minor injuries (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, Jan 2012).


Falling Figures

Zimbabwe visitor arrivals declined significantly from the highs of the previous year to 1,794,230 in 2012, with tourism arrivals dropping to 1,244,441 and overseas visitors decreasing to 231,608. Visitors from European countries declined to 111,529, North America 58,873 and Asia 36,499. Average room occupancy for the main tourism hotels on the south bank of the Falls decreased slightly to 45 percent, while smaller providers recorded 50 percent room occupancy levels over the year.

Despite the declines in tourism arrivals 197,776 visitors to the south bank Rainforest were recorded, including 136,980 international tourists (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, 2013). Zambia recorded a total of 151,005 visitors to the Falls, including 42,090 international visitors (Zambia Ministry of Tourism and Arts, 2016). The figures recorded suggest a combined total of 348,781 visitors to the Falls over the year, in contrast to a figure of 195,00 reported to U.N.E.S.C.O (Joint Site Management Committee, 2014). In December alone 22,521 tourists visited the Rainforest, including 11,108 international visitors.

Victoria Falls town’s total population was estimated at 33,718 in 2012 (Central Statistics Office, 2012), with the supporting suburban areas of Chinotimba and Mkhosana - developed on the site of the old Sprayview Aerodrome - expanding rapidly in recent years.

Heritage Centre

In mid 2012 the Jafuta Heritage Centre opened at the Elephant’s Walk complex, displaying a comprehensive collection of local cultural artefacts and information on the human history of the Falls region. The Centre is managed by the Jafuta Foundation, a non-profit organisation with the aim of preserving the traditional culture and material history of the region.

Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme

In December 2012 Zambezi River Authority (Z.R.A.), an interstate company representing the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe formed to manage the construction and operation of the Kariba Dam, invited expressions of interest from prospective civil engineering companies for the construction and operation of Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme, 54 kilometres downstream from the Falls.

The potential for hydro-electric power generation in the Batoka Gorge was originally identified in a report by Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners in 1972, along with other potential sites on the Zambezi, including the Devil’s and Mupata Gorges (upstream and downstream respectfully of the Kariba Dam). In 1981 a second report revised the location of the proposed dam site due to a mapping error. Technical, legal and environmental feasibility studies were carried out in 1993, and a revised Environmental Impact Assessment undertaken in 1998. Zambia pulled out of the project in favour of developing less expensive national schemes, before unsuccessful attempts were made to relaunch the project in 2007.

Early in 2012 the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe agreed the settlement of outstanding debts relating to the construction of the Kariba Dam after the break-up of the Federation, clearing one of the last major obstacles to the advancement of the scheme. In December 2013 the Z.R.A. secured $6 million from the World Bank for the updating of feasibility studies relating to the project. The current proposal is to supply two 800 M.W. power stations, on either side of the river, with a 181m tall dam wall of the 'gravity-arch' type design. The estimated construction cost has been identified at up to $4 billion with a planned completion date in the mid-2020s.

The scheme would flood the gorges and woodland habitat of Batoka Gorge, changing their unique nature and affecting the habitat of its rare and vulnerable wildlife. The cliff-faces are particularly valuable breeding habitat for many important bird species, including the endangered Taita falcon (Falco fasciinucha) and Verreaux’s eagle (Aquila verreauxii). The dam will also seriously alter the hydrology and sediment flow of the river and associated characteristic piscifauna. The flooding of the rapids will also negatively affect tourism, drowning many of the rapids and severely limiting commercial white-water rafting.


Centre Stage

Zimbabwe recorded visitor arrivals of 1,832,583 over 2013, although tourism arrivals decreased for the second year in succession to 934,757. Overseas visitors recovered slightly to 261,784. The main tourism hotels in the Falls (representing nine hotels and 971 rooms) recorded healthy room occupancy levels of 53 percent and the smaller providers (representing 549 rooms) 42 percent over the year. The top eight hotels recorded combined revenues of over $23 million and 178,000 visitor room-nights, up from $19 million and 159,000 rooms the previous year.

Zimbabwe recorded a total of 196,041 visitors to the Falls, including 144,680 international tourists (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, 2014). Zambia recorded 152,952 visitors to the north bank, including 51,969 international visitors. The figures indicating a combined total of 348,993 against the total of 252,800 reported to U.N.E.S.C.O (Joint Site Management Committee, 2014).

In mid-2013 a new luxury tourist cruise boat, the Zambezi Explorer, arrived on the Zambezi, having been built in Harare and transported to the Falls by road - no small task for a hull 27 metres in length, over seven metres wide and eight metres in height. The three-decked Zambezi Explorer accommodates 140 passengers and offers premium standards of service, complete with on board food galley. All of the vessel’s state-of-the-art inboard facilities run exclusively on solar energy, which together with fuel-efficient engines, minimise the environmental impact of its operation and set new standards for the sector.

In December 2013 Cresta Hotels launched the Cresta Sprayview Hotel, a $1.75 million redevelopment of the old Sprayview Hotel, closed for many years. The reception area, 65 bedrooms, one restaurant, two bars and two conference rooms were completely remodelled and refurbished.

During the period the Zambian Government funded the extensive rehabilitation of tourism infrastructure at the Falls, including construction of a modern curio market buildings, car park, improved visitor facilities and upgrading of walkways.

Riverside Lodges

Private riverside safari concessions were developed upstream of the Falls within the Zambezi National Park with the opening several independent safari operations - the 26-bed Victoria Falls River Lodge (opened in April 2012) and the 12-bed tented Pioneers Camp (opened in mid 2013). Zambezi Sands River Camp, opened in 2014 with a 16-bed tented lodge located in the western part of the Zambezi National Park.

Joint Hosts

In August 2013 the Falls Hotel hosted the opening reception of the 20th Session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly, jointly hosted by the towns of Livingstone and Victoria Falls. The event attracted more than a thousand delegates and VIP guests from across the world and provided a significant boost to local tourism, as well as giving Zimbabwe valuable international marketing exposure as a tourism destination.

As nightfall gathered the Falls Bridge was illuminated as part of a new installation celebrating the joint event, with Telecel announcing a $100,000 sponsorship of the illumination the Bridge over the next 15 years. In their inaugural addresses, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and President Michael Sata of Zambia called for increased support for sustainable tourism and capacity building that promotes infrastructure development, environmental awareness and improves the welfare and livelihoods of local communities.

Addressing delegates at the opening session, the UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, underscored the event as “A timely opportunity for all of us to continue along an encouraging path to drive tourism towards its fullest potential in fostering sustainable economic growth, jobs and development, and what better backdrop to do so than here in Africa, a region where we believe tourism can be a true force for good.”

Selfie Slip-up

On 26 November 2013 a team of Livingstone Fire Brigade servicemen, together with Zambian Police and staff from the Victoria Falls Bridge Bungee, were called to rescue a tourist who fell into the gorge from the north bank. Wang ShunXue, a 45 year old Chinese national, fell into gorge near the knife-edge bridge as he was taking pictures of himself with the Falls in the background, thus becoming the first person known to fall into the gorge whilst taking a ‘selfie.’ Fortunately he survived without serious injury (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, Nov 2013).

Carnival Time

The Vic Falls Carnival, ‘a three-day festival of music, performance, dance, adventure and fun’ held over the New Year, soon became a significant annual event, attracting performers and visitors from across the region. Accommodation providers recorded 100 percent occupancies as thousands of revellers descended on the small town, swamping facilities and services. New Year festivals in the Falls started in 2009 with the ‘Falls Fest,’ operating from the central Victoria Falls Rest Camp, before the establishment of the Carnival in 2012 and which has been held annually since.

The Falls Rainforest recorded an incredible 16,573 visitors and entrance fee revenues in excess of $270,000 over a 10 day period to 2nd January 2014, with international visitor entrance fee receipts totalling over US$147,500, regional receipts US$75,400 and Zimbabwe nationals US$49,700 (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, Jan 2014).

Next page: Regeneration and Renewal

References

CSO (2012) Zimbabwe Census Report 2012, Central Statistics Office, Harare.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Aug 2011a) Victoria Falls reports good occupancies. 30 August 2011. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Aug 2011b) Vic Falls reports an upswing in arrivals. 31 August 2011. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Jan 2012) Australian woman Erin Langworthy survives 111m bungee fall into the Zambezi River. 15 January 2012. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Jan 2013) Tourism industry on recovery path. 14 January 2013. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Nov 2013) Chinese tourist rescued after falling into Falls. 28 November 2013. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (Jan 2014) Vic Falls rainforest draws 17,000 visitors over festive period. 15 January 2014. Online source.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (April 2014) Vic Falls hotels income up 20 percent. 04 April 2014. Online source.

Victoria Falls World Heritage Site Joint Report (2014) Joint State of Conservation Report. Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya World Heritage Site.

Further Reading

Roberts, P. (2021) Footsteps Through Time - A History of Travel and Tourism to the Victoria Falls. Zambezi Book Company.

Footsteps Through Time - A History of Travel and Tourism to the Victoria Falls


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Discover the Victoria Falls with the Zambezi Book Company

'To The Victoria Falls' aims to bring you the wonder of the Victoria Falls through a look at its natural and human history.

This website has been developed using information researched from a wide variety of sources, including books, magazines and websites etc too numerous to mention or credit individually, although many key references are identified on our References page. Many of the images contained in this website have been sourced from old photographic postcards and publications and no infringement of copyright is intended. We warmly welcome any donations of photographs or information to this website.

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