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Carl Joshua Ncube and wife Nelsy (left) and a Pizza Inn staffer

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
AWARD-winning stand-up comedian Carl Joshua Ncube and wife Nelsy have relocated to Victoria Falls where the two have set up a website – #Victoria Falls 365 to promote tourism in the resort town.

The comedian said he has moved here permanently to fulfil a dream he had for the past seven years to build a 2 000-seater theatre for comedy in Victoria Falls. Also, he has decided to impose himself as a tourism ambassador after failing to convince relevant authorities through numerous engagements.

The website, he said, is aimed at marketing Victoria Falls tourism activities to try and lure domestic and international tourists to visit the resort while also fundraising for his project.

“We permanently moved to Victoria Falls two weeks ago. We’d been trying to relocate here for the past seven years and we’re glad that we’ve finally done so,” he said.

He said he hopes to host a number of shows in the resort to raise funds for his $500 000 “Build a Dome” project.

“I decided to come here with the objective of building a theatre after realising that people often find themselves with no entertainment because they don’t know where to go hence the need for a dome. I think we’ll need about $500 000 for the furnished structure,” he said.

“I’ll regularly perform and also market the Victoria Falls destination as I’m trying to add value as an unofficial tourism ambassador,” he said.

Victoria Falls 365, Ncube said, was getting a lot of positive support and had garnered more than 1 000 likes during its first week. On their Facebook page, Ncube and wife post pictures of their various activities in the resort town which often get a lot of feedback.

“We’re trying to promote tourism here by putting all activities on offer one platform. We post something different everyday so that people get to know what the town has to offer.

“This is an initiative I’ve taken as a public personality to sell my own country,” Ncube said.

He said the setting up of Victoria Falls 365 had also been inspired by his followers who have always been inquisitive about his trips.

“Quite often when I am on my tours internationally, people are often curious about what Zimbabwe is truly like. What they mean is the non-brochure version of Zimbabwe and so we saw an opportunity to vouch for the tourism in Zimbabwe by being the ones to experience what is happening then relaying to our friends, fans and tourists out there on the Internet.”

What makes this site different from the rest is the fact that it is not stage managed as the Ncube’s are two down to earth characters who do not doctor their images to portray a certain high end lifestyle. From pizza at Pizza Inn to sadza from Shoestrings Cafe, the Ncube’s will post all their rendezvous.

Already, the two seem to have made a huge impact in the resort town as many operators and restaurants have warmed up to them, inviting them to sample their products. Vic Falls’ residents are also excited as they are from time to time spotted asking for selfies with the couple.

To keep the page running, the comedian said he hopes to raise money through his stand-up comedy shows or get investors to partner him. He plans to partner one of the cruise companies to host a stand-up comedy show.

In the meantime, he said he is planning to engage local hotels so they give him access to their conference rooms with a view of getting one to use as a comedy theatre.

If they play their cards right, the Ncubes may end up being a tourist attraction on their own as they are a very bubbly lot whose hosting skills and hospitality is unmatched.

@ncubeleon