Rising tourist arrivals are exposing infrastructure gaps in Victoria Falls, with accommodation shortages, congested or inadequate roads and weak network coverage threatening to undermine the resort city’s ability to handle growing visitor numbers.
Responding to a question in Parliament, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi said some visitors were struggling to secure accommodation, while road infrastructure and network connectivity remained challenges that needed to be addressed as Zimbabwe seeks to grow its tourism sector.
Zanu-PF Makoni South MP Albert Nyakuedzwa had raised concerns over the availability of standard accommodation, the condition and capacity of roads leading to tourist attractions and inadequate network coverage, particularly in Victoria Falls.
Rwodzi said the government was responding to the accommodation shortage by encouraging investment in new hotels and supporting small and medium enterprises to establish tourism facilities.
She said major hotel investments were returning to Victoria Falls, while existing facilities were also expanding.
“A lot of business people are coming back to build major hotels. Our biggest hotel in Victoria Falls, the Kingdom Hotel, is under renovation. They are expanding the rooms. However, because our Government is urging those small players in small to medium enterprises to start various businesses, we observe that people are now turning their houses into lodges,” Rwodzi said.
Related Stories
She added that the Kingdom Hotel, one of the major hotels in Victoria Falls, was undergoing renovations and expanding its rooms.
The minister also said the Government was encouraging residents to convert houses into lodges to increase accommodation capacity, while promoting community-based tourism in rural areas.
On transport infrastructure, Rwodzi said the government was working with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to improve major roads.
She said the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls road was set to be widened, partly in preparation for increased traffic associated with the hosting of the Cricket World Cup.
Network connectivity was another concern raised in Parliament, with Rwodzi saying the government was working with the Ministry of Information Communication Technologies, Postal and Courier Services to improve coverage.
She said Starlink technology was being used to complement existing network infrastructure, particularly in areas where conventional coverage remained inadequate.
Leave Comments