Unlocking the potential of Victoria Falls:

The role of improved air access in boosting tourism We Are Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls has, over the years, evolved from being solely a Natural World Wonder and adventure hub, to becoming an ultimate destination for immersive wildlife, wellness and cultural experiences, with numerous activities and attractions on offer for visitors. PostCOVID trends are showing longer stay periods within the destination emerging as travellers seek to explore and connect with the natural environment, biodiversity and warm authentic hospitality which this spectacular destination provides.

As Zimbabwe’s foremost iconic leisure destination, Victoria Falls, despite the impact of COVID-19, is quickly gaining traction in its’ status as the hub of access not only to the country, but also to the wider region of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) which incorporates Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the largest Transfrontier Conservation Areas in the world. With increased air access connectivity, it is also becoming easier for travellers to incorporate Victoria Falls into their travel plans.

Under the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry (MECTHI) and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development a Zimbabwe Destination Development Program (ZDDP) supported by IFC began in January 2020 with the aim to improve the competitiveness and resilience of Victoria Falls as a destination and to support long-term sector recovery. The Program support includes technical assistance to national-level policy review and reform, local-level destination planning, strengthening of targeted Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Victoria Falls, and improvement of Victoria Falls air access and related services.

The ZDDP’s air access component seeks to position Victoria Falls as a competitive air transport gateway to Zimbabwe and the wider region. Air access is a vital component of any successful tourism industry.

It is the gateway for visitors from all over the world to explore new destinations and immerse themselves in different cultures.

Improved Air access also opens new markets and allows destinations to diversify their tourism offering, attracting new types of visitors and boosting the local economy. A well-developed and efficient air transport system can be the difference between a thriving and successful tourism industry, and a stagnant one.

To achieve this goal, the program is working to improve the enabling environment for airlines and private investment, and is also supporting the recovery, maintenance, and development of Victoria Falls’ air capacity through an Air Services Development Committee charged with national route development. This approach is modeled after the successful Cape Town Air Access Program under WESGRO.

The program has already achieved some significant results. Within two years of program intervention, the program recommended a preliminary set of enabling environment reforms and facilitated direct engagement with 19 airlines for route recovery, new frequencies, and/or new routes for Victoria Falls (VF) and Robert Mugabe International (HRE) airports. Twenty-three route pitches with in-depth data analyses have been presented to these airlines, which expressed concrete interest in flying to Zimbabwe/VF. The program’s key achievement to date is the successful pitching and negotiation of the first long-haul route to VF, from Europe, with Eurowings Discover (Lufthansa), a route whose operations has recently been expanded.

In addition, 11 other new routes and additional frequencies have been secured including strengthened regional connectivity with South Africa, which is one of Victoria Falls’ main tourism markets, and greater air access connectivity to the diverse destinations within Zimbabwe. Initial results of the program were so successful that the Government of Zimbabwe requested for an extension of the support to incorporate Harare International Airport.

Key factors contributing to this success include:

• The establishment of a multi-stakeholder Air Service Development (ASD) Technical Committee to lead ASD efforts, and building of its capacity, to guarantee longerterm technical ASD leadership

• The in-depth assessment of VF’s air transport, tourism and enabling environment factors to identify demandand supply-side gaps and opportunities, and reform priorities

• The analysis of global air transport datasets and local-level data to assess route demand and develop robust business cases for presentation to airlines

• The elaboration of an Air Service Development Plan based on the analytical work, to ensure a more strategic approach to airline engagement

• The establishment of an inter-ministerial Air Service Development Steering Committee chaired at PS level that oversees implementation of the ASD Plan and provides policy orientations

• Close consultation with the local private sector in ASD planning and engagement with airlines

• Technical handholding for Plan implementation, such as support to ongoing management of the Committee’s airline relationships to maintain air capacity

• Facilitation of negotiations between airlines and destination stakeholders on route terms and incentives, based on the local context and current international best practices. These combined efforts have helped to improve air access and services within the country and particularly Victoria Falls, making it a more competitive and attractive destination for travellers from around the world, and the ongoing success of the program is a significant step towards the long-term recovery of the tourism sector in Victoria Falls and Zimbabwe as a whole.

We Are Victoria Falls is an independent, publicprivate partnership initiative representing the tourism community of Victoria Falls. The team behind the initiative consists of Shelley Cox and Kuda Hove. Shelley is a born and bred Zimbabwean, who is deeply passionate about Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole; its wildlife, diversity and wild landscapes, and its incredible people. Kuda is a consultant driving collaboration with the public and private sector to positively contribute to enhancing the destination.