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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau

THE peak tourism season brought mixed fortunes for travellers, operators and residents in Kariba as some hotels were fully booked over the festive season, while there was a drop in the uptake of activities.

Caribbea Bay Hotel had over 90 percent occupancy from 23 to 27 December when people started checking out with the majority of them being locals.

Caribbea Bay general manager Mrs Mildred Zulu said over 90 percent of the occupants were locals, which pointed to a growing domestic market, but bemoaned lack of reliable air connectivity for the regional and international traveller.

“Business was good from around Unity Day to December 27 when people started checking out,” she said. “The good thing is that these were mostly locals, but obviously the regional and international mix should be expanded.”

The new “Glamping” hospitality phenomenon at the hotel which combines outdoor experience and glamorous amenities also saw improved uptake.

While hotels were fully booked, those offering ancillary services like game drives and boat cruises recorded low business due to perceived high costs.

Game drives cost around US$20 or the local equivalent of around $400 per person, while boat cruises also cost around the same amount.

Hotel facilities start from around $500 per room to as much as $5 000 depending on the facility, which left some people with little disposable income for other activities.

Most international and regional tourists preferred using houseboats for the outdoor experience, although the costs were beyond the reach of most local visitors.

The Kariba Airport was a hive of activity as small planes flew in and out from other destinations, including Victoria Falls and Harare, while others were taking visitors to smaller airstrips where there are exclusive facilities.

Affordable and reliable air transport is viewed as one of the missing links for the revival of tourism in the town as travel by road consumes a lot of time for the visitors, leaving them with fewer days for activities.

Lilly Trotter Cruises, which offers boat cruises on Lake Kariba, said in 2018 they managed three cruises on Christmas Day, but last year they managed only one.

“We were busy a day before Christmas, on the day and the day after, but last year was a bit tough as we only managed one trip, as fewer people sought our services,” said Ms Loreen Munaku.

Asked about the cost of cruises, she said the high cost of fuel and statutory obligations like licences and permits were contributing to the high prices.

“In real terms, operators have tried to come up with the most affordable price for activities,  but    the cost of doing business is high, making it very difficult for us to ignore, but pass it on to clients,” said Ms Munaku.

A permit to operate a boat from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority costs US$1 500, while the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority takes another US$3 500 and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority demands more than $1 000 in fees.

This has been blamed for the high charges for activities in the town.

A visitor, Mr John Kandema, said entrepreneurs needed to come up with more activities to improve the activity mix for   visitors.