Another boost for buoyant Vic Falls

VICTORIA Falls is the only city in Zimbabwe which is booming, and it is going to get even busier as Africa’s first Disneyland will soon be built on the outskirts of the town.

Tourists are flocking to to see the astonishing falls, and ever more tourists are visiting since the expanded inter national airport can now receive larger aircraft, which can also land at night.

To add to this boom, Victoria Falls is soon going to get Disneyland in Africa, which will not only be a dramatic fun fair, with spectacular rides, but will also be a tourism and conference theme park, according to Zimbabwe Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi.

“We have signed an overarching agreement with some Chinese developers for a master plan to develop 300 hectares of land between the (Victoria Falls) airport and Masue River.

“We need to drive the convention business and direct traffic to ourselves,” Mzembi said at a press conference this week.

“Already we are looking at 2020 where we are dreaming of a $5 billion (R65bn) tourism sector in Victoria Falls alone.”

The concept of the Disneyland at Victoria Falls is based on similar installations in California and Paris.

Inter national airlines, SA Airways, Ethiopian and Kenyan Airways are all now flying regularly to Victoria Falls, with connections to European destinations as well as Cape Town.

Victoria Falls slumped following the political upheaval post-2000, but it revived when an inclusive gover nment came into power in 2009.