MIDWEEK REPORTER
HARARE-Tourist arrivals in Victoria Falls Rainforest have increased to 61 139 in the first quarter of 2025 from 59 718 recorded in the first quarter of 2024.
In a statement this Monday, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS) attributes an increase in tourist arrivals to international tourism upsurge.
“Victoria Falls Rainforest has seen an increase in tourist arrivals during the first quarter of 2025, recording a total of 61 139 compared to 59 718 during the same period in 2024.
“The surge is largely attributed to a notable rise in international tourism, with international arrivals reaching 47 633 in 2025, an increase from 44 110 the previous year,” ZIMPARKS said.
Domestic tourism, however, recorded a decline with numbers dropping from 15 608 in 2024 to 13 506 in 2025 according to ZIMPARKS.
The availability of dedicated tour packages, easy accessibility through Victoria Falls Airport expansion and the introduction of new flight routes attracted more tourism from the United Kingdom, Germany and Ireland.
“Key source markets driving international interest in Victoria Falls include Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany, largely due to the availability of dedicated tour packages.
“Enhanced accessibility through the expansion of Victoria Falls Airport, along with the introduction of new flight routes including direct flights from Frankfurt (Germany) has further facilitated the growing interest among German tourists,” ZIMPARKS said.
Regionally, South Africa maintains a pole position followed by Botswana as key source of visitors in Victoria Falls.
ZIMPARKS also hailed the implementation of the KAZA visa (UniVisa), describing it as a game changer in encouraging visitors to explore both sides of the falls and offering seamless travel experience for tourists from several countries.
KAZA visa (UniVisa) simplifies cross-border travel between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Tourism is one of the main sources of foreign currency in Zimbabwe and the latter boasts a number of tourist attractions such as the mighty Victoria Falls, Great Zimbabwe Monuments, and Gonarezhou National Park to mention just a few.
