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Welcome from Ms. Winnie Muchanyuka
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive
Welcome to Zimbabwe A World of Wonders. This is our tourism brand and the thought process was underpinned on the 7 wonders of the world. In essence, we have our own world which has its own 7 wonders and Victoria Falls is one of them.
Visiting Victoria Falls should be at least a once in a lifetime experience as it is our conviction that if you have not been to this resort town, you have not lived. David Livingstone, the English Explorer who was the first documented explorer to visit the Falls was awestruck at first sight and wrote in his memoirs, “…..scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”
Besides the beauty experienced in the Rainforest, there are a plethora of activities visitors can undertake for both adrenalin junkies and the relaxed bunch alike.
Whilst we felt the brunt of the Covid effects, where this tourism gem literary shut down, I am proud to announce that tremendous recovery has been realized in destination Zimbabwe in 2022 and we predict an upward trend this year going forward in our tourist arrivals, receipts and investments.
Arrivals went up by 174% with at total of 1043781 from 380820 in 2021. Receipts went up by 129% with 2022 having recorded close to $1 billion from $397 million.
Meanwhile tourism investments increased by 120% in last year to $312,5 million from $142 million in 2021. We look forward to hosting you in Victoria Falls for both leisure and business.
I thank you.
Ms. Winnie Muchanyuka
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive
Victoria Falls
We are Victoria Falls
One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a vital component of the World’s largest trans frontier conservation area (Kavango-Zambezi Trans frontier Conservation Area), Victoria Falls has become an iconic and sought-after destination for travellers looking to explore and experience exceptional biodiversity and spectacular beauty.
Spanning nearly two kilometers (over a mile) and dropping 103 meters (338 feet) at its highest point, Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of falling water in the world. The immense volume of water that drops over the spectacular basalt gorge, results in an immense cloud of mist and spray that can be seen for miles away, enveloped in rainbows, with a distinct and powerful thundering roar, alluding to the original local name “Mosi-Oa-Tunya” meaning ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. It is without a doubt, one of the most iconic photographic landscapes in the world.
This charming and historical City however has so much more to offer than just it’s awe-inspiring waterfall and provides travellers with a mosaic of experiences incorporating wildlife, adventure, culture, wellness and gastronomy. With its wide array of adventure-based as well as more tranquil focused activities, Victoria Falls has become a destination that has all the rich tapestry of what makes Africa so enchanting, allowing for longer stays to be jam-packed full of history, discovery, exploration, education and life-enriching experiences.
For those who find ‘a rush’ in the more adrenalin focused activities, the high-wire options of bungee, gorge swing, or the zipline are certain to get your heart rate pumping, or alternatively the legendary white-water rafting along the Zambezi River rapids, renowned as some of the best in the world, for those water-loving thrill seekers.
Adventure lovers are able to participate in canoeing the upper Zambezi, hiking down the gorge, quad-biking through the community areas, horse-riding through the Zambezi National Park, or conducting a spectacular ‘flight of the angels’ helicopter tour to experience the majestic curtain of water across Victoria Falls from an aerial perspective.
If you are looking to relax and unwind, taking in the tranquility of the natural surroundings which Victoria Falls has to offer, why not conduct a breakfast, lunch or dinner cruise along the Zambezi River, or alternatively indulge in relaxing spa treatments at selected hotels.
And for those travelling with kids, there is a wide range of safe, interactive and educational experiences allowing for family fun whilst in the destination. What better way for the kids to discover their inner musician than The Boma Dinner & Drum Show which is the only restaurant-based interactive drumming show in Zimbabwe, or for them to discover their inner artist whilst experiencing new cultures with the “Art of Africa” village tour. Ride the Bamba Tram onto Victoria Falls, encounter some of Africa’s most threatened birds with the vulture culture feeding programme, or swing through the treetops along a series of nine zip-lines above the Batoka Gorge on the canopy tree-top tour.
For those looking for a more immersive, responsibly conscious and educational experience, conservation awareness activities are on offer and cultural village homestead visits are available allowing for an insight into the lives of the communities living on the outskirts of Victoria Falls. The destination is after-all focused on responsible travel and sustainability.
In 2022, at the Responsible Tourism Awards held at World Travel Market in Cape Town, Victoria Falls was awarded the Silver Responsible Tourism Award for ‘Sustaining Employees and Communities throughout the Pandemic’, a prestigious award in recognition of the tireless ingenuity and resilience of the community over the COVID years.
With an estimated 80% of its job reliant on tourism, the destination was deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but through a variety of initiatives and collaborative efforts, this tight-knit community took on the mantra of a “Small City with a Big Heart” to ensure that the people; employees and communities, as well as the environment, were looked after despite and throughout the adversity caused by the pandemic.
From feeding and community vegetable garden schemes, to clean-ups, voluntary anti-poaching activities and ongoing community development projects, the community has continued to go above and beyond in its resilience and commitment to maintaining the destination. It is this same ethos that is carried forward by the community in their care for travellers visiting the destination.
From an accommodation perspective, Victoria Falls City has continued to develop over the years and the accommodation options in Victoria Falls are numerous and diverse catering to travellers of all budgets - from campsites, to intimate bed and breakfasts, hotels and lodges, to high-end exclusive luxury tented camps or private villa offerings – there are countless choices which will allow for travellers to find the most suitable accommodation which matches their requirements.
Whilst Victoria Falls was upgraded to City Status in 2020, it has effectively maintained its relatively small and intimate community appeal and remained immersed within nature, surrounded by National Parks, Forest Woodlands and protected areas. It is not unusual to see baboons, warthogs, impala and sometimes even elephant and buffalo in close proximity to the main city areas.
In addition, with its large outdoor focused activity offerings and its wide open spaces, it allows for travellers to reconnect with nature, spending more time outdoors breathing in copious amounts of fresh air – all aspects which are said to improve mental and physical health, whilst reducing stress – something which we are confident all travellers are seeking in a post-covid era.
With continued increased air access to Victoria Falls, and with new International flight route options opening up (such as the Eurowings Discover Frankfurt – Windhoek – Victoria Falls route), Victoria Falls has quickly earned its flag as a gateway to not only Zimbabwe, but the wider region incorporating the countries which make up KAZA – Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In addition, with the newly launched Destination Management Partnership “We Are Victoria Falls”, collaborative efforts are underway to continually improve on the destination offering and experience whilst ensuring it remains a sustainable destination and that it’s natural heritage is preserved for future generations both locally and globally. The Destination has outlined seven values for which they continually work towards and measure themselves against and these are outlined as follows:
to support a green city
to share and showcase the destination
to put local first
to work together
to invest in our relationships
to continuously improve
to achieve the right balance and ensure SustainabilityVictoria Falls has also recently announced an exciting partnership with Cape Town Tourism. The main objective of the partnership is to share current destination management best practices developed by CTT, which will provide advice on how to structure a successful organisation and ecosystem that supports sustainable travel and create the ultimate African adventure.
The partnership will promote and encourage tourists to visit these two destinations as part of the “African Routes” campaign, which will be launched in 2023, and which will allow travellers to experience Victoria Falls and Table Mountain, two of Southern Africa’s most iconic landmarks.
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