HOTEL occupancy in Victoria Falls rose by 3 percent during the recent Heroes’ and Defence Forces’ holidays, signalling a positive trend in the post-Covid-19 recovery.
This growth is particularly encouraging given the ongoing efforts to establish Victoria Falls as a world-class destination. This is premium content. Subscribe to read article.
President of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ), Brian Nyakutombwa, commented on the performance.
“The strong performance over the Heroes and Defense Forces Holidays was driven by tour series groups especially from the Asian market which are flooding the destination, which is also enjoying some business from both the European and American source markets.”
He also noted the impact of domestic travel challenges, saying, “However, the domestic market contribution to occupancy at the destination was rather low due to the poor road network and expensive flight fares.”
Occupancy rates were notably higher in 2024 compared to the previous year. On August 14th, 2024, the overall occupancy reached 70 percent, further increasing to 80 percent on August 15th. In 2023, the corresponding figures were 61 percent and 64 percent, respectively.
Several hotels, including Ilala Lodge, Victoria Falls Hotel, and Palm River Lodge, reported occupancy rates exceeding 80 percent on both days in 2024, highlighting their popularity among visitors.
This positive trend aligns with the broader growth in Zimbabwe’s tourism sector. Tourist arrivals surged by 83 percent in the second quarter of 2024, and Treasury anticipates a 12 percent growth in the sector for the entire year.
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