SA highest source of tourism traffic into Zimbabwe

Zim Now Writer

Neighbouring South Africa has contributed the highest traffic of tourists coming to Zimbabwe with 220 000 visitors from that country having toured.

“Predominantly, South Africa has always been the highest feeder as far as regional tourism is concerned, into Zimbabwe. It is great to see them again, maintaining that position,” Zimbabwe’s Tourism Authority head of corporate affairs Godfrey Koti said in an interview.

“This is something that we are definitely monitoring and watching. We are certain that we will be increasing our efforts into South Africa.”

Statistics seen show that the number of South Africans who toured Zimbabwe in 2022 increased by a bountiful 205 percent compared to the previous year.

Zimbabwe also reportedly recorded a boom in tourists from Botswana, Malawi, Angola, Mozambique and Zambia.

According to ZTA statistics, a total of 693 281 tourists visited the country, and South Africa provided the lion’s share of 219 141 visitors.

Speaking on the subject of tourism, Zimbabwe property magnate Ken Sharpe, who is developing the US$280 million Warren Hills Golf Estate, said:

‘’We have looked at tourism seriously because we are on the Hills Luxury Lifestyle Estate, that is where Warren Hills Golf Club is situated. It is an 18-hole golf club. We will be building a brand-new PGA-length Championship golf course.”

The ongoing work includes revamping the 18-hole golf club into a US Championship standard course and developing a lifestyle community that includes a tennis and swimming academy, residential units, a luxury hotel, and will host international tournaments.

“We are investing over US$9 million in rehabilitating the golf course, and around the golf course will be 864 residences, with an ultra-luxury, five-star hotel.

“We believe in the future of Zimbabwe. So, the reason we are bringing modern, futuristic designs is because we are not looking at Zimbabwe today. We are looking at where Zimbabwe will be in 10, 20 or 30 years’ time. Our mantra is – bringing Dubai to Zimbabwe,” said Sharpe.

Last year, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned the modernised Beitbridge border post and said that all of the landlocked country’s borders would be upgraded to improve the quality of service in the transport sub-sector.

He said his government is committed to ensure that all major highways and feeder roads are “speedily modernised”, riding on the success of the highly-utilised Beitbridge-Harare road.