Visitors once more streaming to Victoria Falls

IT is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the stupendous roar of its cascades synonymous with the raw beauty of the African landscape.

But for nearly two decades, Victoria Falls was a little-visited gem, as the political violence and mismanagement of Robert Mugabe’s regime kept tourists away from Zimbabwe.

Now, six months after Mugabe’s 37year rule ended in a soft coup, the Falls are again seeing a surge in visitors from Britain – and residents are hoping for a return to the glory days when it was one of the most important destinations in Africa.

Wildlife expert Trevor Lane, a longtime Victoria Falls resident, said: “This place has gone ballistic.

“Shopping malls are going up, every man and his dog wants to be at Vic Falls at the moment . . . it’s great.

“Remember we lost 18 years when people stayed away, and I hope new hotels and corporates will not swallow some of the first-class smaller operators,” he said.

Known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “the smoke which thunders” in the Lotse language, the site has fascinated Western visitors since David Livingstone stumbled across them more than 160 years ago.

In the 1990s, nearly 200 000 people were checking in at the ticket office to see the Victoria Falls every year.

All that changed nearly two decades ago, when the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) nearly won elections in 2000.

In retaliation, Mugabe’s regime sent veterans of the ’70s war against Rhodesia to invade more than 4 000 whiteowned farms.

As the economy crashed, Western countries imposed sanctions, and thousands of political activists were killed or fled the country, tourists began to give the country a wide berth.

By 2008, visitor numbers were down to 25 000, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe Tourist Authority and the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

But since the beginning of the year, new hotels and lodges are under construction, others are expanding, and tourist arrivals are higher than anyone can remember.

The two agencies now expect 300 000 people to visit the Falls this year alone. Income from these tickets is the largest source of income for the parks authority.

The renaissance has been helped by the extension of the Victoria Falls Airport runway, which can now receive all aircraft, including Dreamliners, 24 hours a day. – The Telegraph