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Victoria Falls is truly one the world’s great wonders

Isdore Guvamombe Tourism Matrix
Over the years, it had become an accepted fact that Zimbabwe was Africa’s fourth foremost tourist destination after Egypt, South Africa and Kenya. However, of late the geo-political factors and a spirited perception management programmes by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and stakeholders in the tourism industry has changed this.

The Arab spring which sent Egypt up in smoke and the subsequent political instability that has culminated in endless blood spilling on the streets of Cairo and Alexandra have scared many tourists from visiting the Great Pyramids, Egypt’s main tourist attraction.

The bloody mall bombing in Kenya and the increased threat of terrorism in East Africa has also scared away tourists from that country.
In neighbouring South Africa increased crime rate and gun totting gangs has forced tourists to rethink.

As a result there has been a notable increase in tourist arrivals in Zimbabwe. Although statistics are still being complied it has became fact and not fiction that hotel occupancy in Victoria Falls has more than doubled in the past three months.

Zimbabwe remains largely safe and is slowly cashing in on world events, just as other countries cashed in during our crisis three or four years ago.

The successful hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly in Victoria Falls in August has also given Zimbabwe the much needed brand endorsement.

Only this week, Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide publisher in the world announced Victoria Falls among its Best Top 10 regions to travel this month, giving the resort town every reason to celebrate.

As a joint destination shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, Victoria Falls was ranked 6th on the Lonely Planet list.  Lonely Planet has a wide readership with the ever popular travel guides, a globally distributed monthly magazine the Lonely Planet Traveller, the vast online community The Thorn Tree as well as a television production company.

From February to April of 2013, Lonely Planet.com had 10,3 million unique visitors and 45,9 million page views.
Impressively, it has over 400 000 points of interest throughout the world and Victoria Falls is the 6th  best!

Victoria Falls is truly one the world’s great wonders. A UNESCO World Heritage Site Victoria Falls stands in front of the mighty Zambezi, where water gushes down 108m with such exceptional force that you are drenched, from the resultant plunge smoke.

As David Livingstone perfectly summarised, “Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by Angels in their flight”.
Victoria Falls offers superb game viewing opportunities, a range of activities to suit every age, superb restaurants, unique cultural artefacts and art, banks and ATMs, and a hospital all within a National Park.

The completion of the infrastructural developments at the Victoria Falls airport, including 4km runways to handle long haul wide body jets in 2014 and a new terminal in 2015, will be an exciting development for the destination. Such achievement and recognition comes on the back of the successful co-hosting by Zimbabwe and Zambia in August, UNWTO general assembly in Victoria Falls.

The event saw representatives of 120 countries and 900 affiliate organisations experience first-hand, the splendour of one of the 7 Wonders of the World.

The destination caters for all budgets and tastes, from backpacking lodges to luxurious lodges and hotels.
New properties such as Africa Albida Tourism’s lavish butler-service at the Victoria Falls Safari Club have placed the destination on the discerning travellers’ radar. The club has earned a reputation as a trend setting and innovative establishment. The first of its kind on the Zimbabwean side, the club has broken the mould offering world class, 5 star luxury clothed in the warmth, which the region is famous for.
As the destination continues to gain attention from the world, there is little doubt that Victoria Falls is the place to be.

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