I recently googled the top ten places to visit in Africa and the results were frankly refreshing. Africa as a continent is indeed blessed with numerous natural tourist settings that illustrates the peculiar designs of the Almighty.
After skimming through the list, I felt resentment as to why my beloved Victoria falls didn’t make it. How can the Travelers’ Choice Awards 2022 (put together by Tripadvisor.com) not include one of the natural wonders of the African continent and the world in fact.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Destinations-cPopular-g6
As I baffled between thoughts, I delved deeper into possible explanations. The pertinent amongst all reasons is the neglect for Victoria falls and the nation Zimbabwe as a whole in recent years as far as Tourism is concerned.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) considers Zimbabwe as a tourism bright spot for Africa particularly due to tourist arrivals recorded pre covid. Averaging over two million (2000000) in terms of international torist arrivals from 2016 to 2019, Victoria falls and other relevant natural outfits of Zimbabwe enjoyed significant patronage and recognition. The sharp decline in 2020 to avergely 6 thousand is understandable as covid served as the obvious reason.
However figures for 2021 and forecasts for 2022 and beyond (2025) depict my case of continuous decline.
Major tourist destinations have seen the return to consistent patronage in the first quarter of 2022. The rippling effects of the pandemic and its accompanying restrictions have begun to wear away enabling tourists to return.
For a beauty and wonder like Victoria Falls, it’s a must go and a must present on all top attractions list as long as Africa is considered. Promotion, development and investment is however required.
Just like Rwanda’s #Visit Rwanda and Ghana’s #Year of Return, Zimbabwe desperately required a promotional boost of its own. Now that the political dust has settled, its imperative to promote and project the country as a contender in the ring of tourism. For no consultancy fees, I suggest #Consider Zimbabwe as a tentative promotional phrase to display Zimb as worthy of consideration when looking out for spots to tour and vacay.