Thursday, June 11, 2026

Absence of airline frustrates tourism in Kariba

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Absence of airline frustrates tourism in Kariba

The continued absence of domestic airline service to Kariba is frustrating the growth of the tourism business in the destination.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority executive director for domestic tourism and strategic research, Mrs Sophie Zirebwa, said air connectivity was critical for Kariba as access to the destination was presently by road only.

“Road access makes it expensive and time-consuming.

There is a need for encouragement of low-cost airlines to take up these internal routes like Fastjet who are set to re-launch Kariba particularly for the South African market,” she said.

Mrs Zirebwa, however, said for airlines to consider the Kariba route there was the need for the volumes to justify the flights.

“Thus it is important to all the stakeholders particularly tourism operators come up with affordable packages that can be used to rejuvenate Kariba. An affordable package can also be used by the airlines to boost volumes,” she said.

National carrier Air Zimbabwe said they were also planning to reintroduce flights into Kariba once they acquire the size of aircraft that can be handled by the airport in the resort town. Air Zimbabwe suspended flights into Kariba in 2016 citing low business volumes.

Head of marketing and ground operations, Mr Tafadzwa Zaza, yesterday said they were in the process of acquiring appropriate aircraft to service the route but would not give timelines.

“The aircraft we have at the moment are big for that airport. We don’t have the appropriate equipment but we are in the process of acquiring such to service that route,” he said.

“We don’t have the time frame to resume flights into Kariba until we get the equipment.”

Air Zimbabwe is a strategic player in the economy hence Government has approved its restructuring among others through securing a technical partner in view of a negative balance sheet.

The company has said it is working on the issue to provide an operating platform required to support significant investment. – The Herald

International hotel group to build in Bulawayo

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International hotel group to build in Bulawayo
An international hotel group, the Radisson Hotel Group, has expressed interest in constructing a hotel in Bulawayo.  Radisson Hotel Group has more than 1 400 hotels worldwide and has opened a new hotel in Africa every 60 days over the last 24 months.  According to the recent Bulawayo City Council minutes, the new hotel will increase the number of hotel beds and enable the city to attract major conferences and events and also create employment opportunities for citizens.  “The Director of Engineering Services received an application from Radisson Group of Hotels through the Mkhuze Global Investments expressing interest in developing a Hotel within Bulawayo,” read the minutes.  “Setting up a hotel will have a great impact on the economy of Bulawayo as the increase in the number of hotel beds in Bulawayo would enable the city to attract major conferences and also bring great employment opportunities from the construction phase up to the stage when it’s operational.”  The council deputy Director of Engineering Services Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube said Bulawayo has a deficit of more than 2 000 hotel beds.  “During big events like the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, accommodation is a challenge for visitors. Hotel sites that were mainly awarded through a tender system previously have not yet been developed,” he said. According to the minutes the Radisson Hotel Group had not specified or identified any area where the construction of the hotel will take place.  “Permission is therefore sought to negotiate with the applicants as it has previously proved to be effective with developments such as Parklands Shopping Centre, Nkulumane Mall and Zonkizizwe Shopping Centre having been developed through Council negotiating with the developer,” added Eng Ncube.  Council resolved to form an inter-departmental committee to negotiate with Mkhuze Global Investments on behalf of Radisson Hotel Group. — The Chronicle

ZTA allay fears of fuel, cash shortages at World Tourism Expo

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ZTA allay fears of fuel, cash shortages at World Tourism Expo
ZIMBABWE Tourism Authority (ZTA) acting chief executive Givemore Chidzidzi yesterday allayed fears by international guests coming for the 12th edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo that they would get stuck in the wake of biting fuel and cash shortages. The annual tourism extravaganza will run from September 12 to 14 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds in Bulawayo. Chidzidzi said they had engaged relevant authorities to make sure that there was enough fuel available for the mobility of guests. “What we have also done as Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is to engage the fuel industry. We have been talking to some of the major players in that industry to make sure that there is fuel available for Sanganai for its success. For the mobility of our buyers, all the vehicles that are going to be used to all the destinations they are going, we have managed to make arrangements,” he said. “In terms of cash, this is being handled through our bankers to make sure that those visitors that might need access to cash will find it easy to access their cash. The good thing about the tourism industry is it has been the pioneer of plastic money, so a lot of people in the tourism industry are actually very comfortable with plastic money.” – Newsday

Air Zim back in the skies

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Air Zim back in the skies
AIR Zimbabwe’s Boeing 767, which developed a technical fault on Friday in Bulawayo, is back in the skies after engineers solved the problem. It resumed flights on Sunday evening when it started servicing the Harare-Dar es Salaam route, and yesterday, the aircraft plied the Harare-Victoria Falls route before embarking on the Harare-Johannesburg route. It was expected back in Harare yesterday evening. However, Bulawayo is expected to continue without services due to “ground power challenges”, as the aircraft engine cannot be ignited in the absence of an Air Start Unit, once it is switched off. Air Zim corporate communications officer Ms Firstme Vitori confirmed that the aircraft was back in the skies. “Yes, it was fixed and we have resumed operations. It started by flying to Dar es Salaam (on Sunday night) and it did all other routes (Harare-Victoria Falls; Harare-Johannesburg),” she said. “The only route that is outstanding is Harare-Bulawayo, which has the challenge of ground power. But we expect all routes to be back on stream soon.” The aircraft, which is the only one being flown by Air Zimbabwe at the moment, developed a technical fault on Friday in Bulawayo as it began its “morning triangle” of Harare-Bulawayo; Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and Victoria Falls-Harare. The aircraft was expected to fly to Johannesburg from Harare later that day. The breakdown left passengers in a quandary. There were reports that Air Zim management had bungled arrangements to have the B767 fixed in Bulawayo after “hiring an individual” to ferry an Air Start Unit using his truck to Bulawayo. Sources suggested that the individual was hired without a formal contract and was dispatched to Bulawayo on Friday at 10PM but had not arrived by midday on Saturday. This raised suspicion that the person could have disappeared with the Air Start Unit, especially as his mobile phones were unreachable. But Ms Vitori said: “It’s not true. It was our unit (that carried the Air Start Unit). There was nothing like that.” Air Zimbabwe is struggling to find its footing despite spirited efforts by management together with the administrator, Mr Reggie Saruchera, to turnaround the critical institution. The national flag carrier is reeling under a massive US$384 million debt which came about due to imprudent management decisions such as using inappropriate aircraft on domestic routes. Air Zimbabwe flies long-haul aircraft on domestic and regional routes, instead of small aircraft such as Embraers. – The Chronicle

A pack of painted dogs to relocate to Mana Pools National Park

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A pack of painted dogs to relocate to Mana Pools National Park
Capmount Lodges, Wilderness Safaris and Painted Dog Conservation, are partnering to translocate a pack of wild dogs from Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park to the Mana Pools National Park. The pack will first be translocated from Hwange to Chikwenya, next to Mana Pools National Park, where they will be held in a boma while they acclimatise to the area over a period of months. They will then be released into Mana Pools National Park in 2020. The move will help to increase the current wild dog population at the Mana Pools National Park while mitigating the threat of human-wildlife conflict in Hwange. As the boma is being built within walking distance of Chikwenya camp, guests can view the dogs from September until the end of the season in November, and then again when they are released in 2020. Key dates in September September 22: BBC Earth’s Dynasties, Episode 4, on the wild dog known as ‘Blacktip’, will be screened in camp, while guides will be on hand to discuss the process for the following day. September 23: Wild dog relocation is scheduled to take place. Chikwenya guests meet the aircraft and watch as the dogs are released into the boma. Dinner with Peter Blinston of Painted Dog Conservation as he shares insights and more about his research and conservation work with wild dogs. September 23 onwards: Chikwenya guests can continue to visit the boma and watch the dogs as they settle into their new home while learning more about these animals. – Tourism Update

Uganda Airlines flies into crowded African skies

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Uganda Airlines flies into crowded African skies
NAIROBI – Uganda Airlines has taken to the skies once more after almost two decades out of action but flies into a crowded aviation market in Africa where carriers have the weakest finances and emptiest planes of any region in the world. The state carrier launched commercial flights on Wednesday, its first since it was liquidated in 2001, aiming to take a slice of the East African aviation business that is dominated by Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s success story. Uganda is the latest African government to pour money into national flag carriers; Tanzania and Senegal are also resurrecting their airlines, while the likes of Rwanda, Ivory Coast and Togo are expanding theirs. The African market is forecast to grow almost 5 percent a year over the next two decades in terms of passengers, faster than mature markets, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). African aviation accounted for only 2.1 percent of the global market in 2018, with 92 million passenger journeys flown, and non-African airlines including Emirates and Turkish Airlines account for around 80 percent of traffic in and out of the continent, IATA said. African airlines are also struggling to improve load factors -the percentage of seats filled – from the world’s lowest regional level of 71 percent in 2018, compared with 81.2 percent globally, according to IATA. Uganda Airlines, founded by former dictator Idi Amin in 1976, was liquidated in 2001 after years of unprofitability during a push to privatise state firms. Uganda Airlines CEO Bagenda insisted his company would be free from any political interference. “Government policy in Uganda is eyes on, hands-off,” he said. – eNCA

Air Zimbabwe to resume flights to boost tourist resorts

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Air Zimbabwe to resume flights to boost tourist resorts
Air Zimbabwe (Air Zim) is set to resume domestic flights linking Victoria Falls and other tourist destinations, including Kariba and Buffalo Range by the end of the year. This is viewed as an important step in the development of the tourism industry and lays an airline backbone for envisaged increased demand for air travel – of people and cargo – as the country moves towards upper-middle-income status. Government has committed to supporting Airzim in acquiring suitable low capacity aircraft in the short to medium term to complement the partnership. Negotiations to iron out regulatory hurdles for the operationalisation of a partnership between Airzim and Mack Air of Botswana are underway. Speaking at a Kariba marketing and strategic development plan workshop here, Airzim marketing, ground handling and airport services manager Mr Tafadzwa Zaza said the partners were in discussion with Government through the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ). “We are planning to start operations mid-December to January 2020,” said Mr Zaza. “This will depend on the regulatory issues which are being worked on by Government through the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.” Turning to the revival of tourism in Kariba where Airzim is expected to play a leading role through improved accessibility, Mr Zaza said the aircraft that the national airline was using was not compatible with the Kariba Airport. “Government has agreed to acquire new and modern equipment for the national airline which will be able to service this route. Our planes cannot land in Kariba at the moment,” he said. Traffic at Kariba Airport declined from a peak of around 14 000 arrivals in 1999 to around 3 000 in 2018. The plan, Mr Zaza said was to use smaller planes of between 12 and 20 passengers with Victoria Falls as the fulcrum, feeding priority destination Kariba, Hwange and Buffalo Range,” he said. Outbound passengers from Kariba will be able to do so through Victoria Falls International Airport. To that end, Airzim has scheduled meetings with the Zimbabwe Tour Operators Association (ZTOA) in Victoria Falls to prepare for the successful launch of the project. Kariba Airport manager Mr Shupikayi Maramwidze said the airport would also be a hub where passengers from scheduled flights are taken to camps along the Zambezi Valley through Bumi Hills, Mana West, Mana Pools, Chirundu and Gache Gache airstrips. “Kariba Airport is an International Airport because we have customs and immigration services available. “In terms of expanding the airport, there is limited scope because we have Nyanyana River to the east and to the west we have pylons so we cannot extend the runway,” he said. The workshop was organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry and brings together tourism and hospitality players from Kariba. – The Herald

Zim ready to host Sanganani/Hlanganani World Travel Expo

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Zim ready to host Sanganani/Hlanganani World Travel Expo
Zimbabwe is ready to host Africa’s Premier Business Exchange, the 12th edition of the Sanganani/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. The expo comes at a time where the country has intensified re-engagement efforts. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) said preparations for the expo had picked and were working around the clock to ensure the expo provides the best of what the southern African country had to offer. “It’s a matter of days before the 12th edition kicks off and as a member of the Local Organising Committee we are delighted, adrenaline is kicking in. We are looking forward to receiving tourists from the broader continent of Africa and beyond,” said Butholezwe Nyathi, a member of the LOC. The World Tourism Expo — an annual Tourism Trade Fair organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority — runs from 12 to 14 September 2019 at the ZITF Exhibition Center in Bulawayo. “On our part, we are seized with making sure that our preparations are heightened so that people see the best that Zimbabwe has to offer in terms of the tourism product in its multi-faceted nature.” “One of the elements that we are excited about this year is the visit by three provincial tourism councils from South Africa,” said Nyathi. He added: “Those who know our tourism history will know that South Africa has been a traditional source market for tourists and that tourism is also playing its part in the ongoing re-engagement process. Tourism is also playing its part leveraging on the historical relations we have with South Africa all in an effort to ensure the sector contributes to the broader agenda under Vision 2030. So, in essence, Bulawayo looks forward to receiving Africa and the world.” To date, Sanganai/ Hlanganani has over 250 registered local and international exhibitors with more expected to come on board. Exhibitor registration will close on Friday 30 August. ZTA head of Corporate Affairs Godfrey Koti said: “We can confirm that preparations are at an advanced stage for this mega event and already we have over 250 exhibitors who have registered. “About 20 countries have confirmed their participation these include India, China, Italy, Nigeria, Zambia, SA, Bots, Mozambique have confirmed participation. “This is going to be a two-day event in which we seek to showcase and promote Zimbabwe for MICE, which is meetings, incentives conferences and exhibitions. “We are promoting Zimbabwe as a MICE-destination where people come and converge. We want to use this event to further promote that idea, especially with the fact that this exposition is registered under the United Nations World Tourism Organisation calendar,” he said. – IOL

Victoria Falls to get new hotel and conference centre

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Victoria Falls to get new hotel and conference centre
The Mist, a new hotel is to be built in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, roughly 10kms from Victoria Falls town along the Victoria Falls International Airport road. Senior Consultant, Michael Montana, of Environment Guardians, who are undertaking the environmental assessments for the property, says construction of the 238-bed hotel is set to begin before the end of the year. The Mist hotel’s conferencing facilities will consist of a 200-seat auditorium and ten other separate meeting rooms that can accommodate about 20 people. Accommodation will consist of garden villas, hill-top villas, a presidential suite, executive suites and standard rooms.

Sustainable safari living at Mpala Jena Camp

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Sustainable safari living at Mpala Jena Camp

“Shall we take a walk?” our guide Bulisani “Buli” Mathe asked, already half out of the Land Cruiser, rifle in hand.

“Uh, sure,” I said, surprised. “I always have the rifle in the vehicle so we can go on a bushwalk in the middle of a game drive,” he explained. The spontaneity, he said, makes it “more exciting.” He was right. We’d spotted an elephant grazing in a clump of Mopani trees at the top of a small ridge. Following his lead, we hiked through the brush stopping 30 yards beneath the pachyderm. I had arrived the day before as a guest of Mpala Jena, the new luxury tented camp in Zimbabwe on the banks of the Zambezi River. Situated on a private concession within Zambezi National Park, the camp is a 90-minute drive from the town of Victoria Falls. It’s the second property in the country for world-renowned wildlife filmmakers and conservationists Beverly and Dereck Joubert, founders of Great Plains Conservation. The first was the six-day Mana Pools Expedition Camp, which opened in January 2018. Named for the Zambezi tributary that bisects the camp’s relatively small footprint, Mpala Jena comprises a large communal tent with an eat-in wine cellar, spa, and boutique, four luxury guest tents and a single two-bedroom family suite for travelers who want more privacy. In keeping with Great Plains Conservation’s values, the camp is run exclusively on solar power and constructed of predominantly recycled materials. My tent was spacious and bright, owing to floor-to-ceiling netted windows facing the dramatic shores of the Zambezi. A queen-size canopy bed featured its own air-conditioning — with temps reaching nearly 100 degrees, a welcome treat. In addition to an en suite bathroom, an inviting clawfoot tub, inside and outside showers, and a private deck with plunge pool provided the perfect setting for my morning peanut butter-and-banana smoothies. Handpicked by the Jouberts, the decor is a blend of layered stonework inspired by the ruins of Great Zimbabwe (a medieval town in the south), a Moroccan sensibility and Beverly Jobert’s award-winning photography. Intricately carved wooden doors fronting every tent were discovered in a market in Zanzibar. During my two-night stay, I went on three game drives including the one with the aforementioned elephant. Ears held out straight to look bigger than his school bus-sized physique, the bull gave us a long stare, a bit of a sniff, and then strolled out of sight. Overall, wildlife sightings were few. Until recently, self-driving and camping at this end of the park were the norm, not the consistency of permanent lodgings, and the animals were skittish. Plus, the guides were just beginning to familiarize themselves with the terrain, territories and favourite watering holes that make sightings more likely. A viewing will get better over time. That said, Mpala Jena is designed for guests wanting to enjoy more than the conservancy’s fauna. Boat cruises, canoeing, spa treatments, an interactive kitchen, or a day trip to Victoria Falls are also available. Rates start at $1,020 per person, per night.
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