Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

VICTORIA Falls is perceived to be an expensive tourism destination in the region because of the high travel insurance premium charged on tourists as a result of illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western nations, tourism officials have said.

Victoria Falls is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a pristine nature with the Big Five animals as well as a rich culture making it a preferred tourism destination.

This potential is, however, restricted by the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by America, Britain and their allies.

Zimbabwe has been under illegal sanctions for the past two decades following an embargo imposed by America and its Western allies as a response to the country’s fast track land reform programme which started in 2 000 and meant to correct the skewed landownership that favoured white farmers.

The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has, despite the sanctions, made tremendous economic progress even in the tourism industry, using locally available resources as it implements the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

This month Zimbabwe is joined by Sadc and the rest of the progressive world to push for the removal of the illegal sanctions that have also affected the entire region, judging by the calls for the removal of the embargo by various Heads of State, organisations and institutions.

Sadc Heads of State and Government in 2019 proclaimed October 25 as a day of solidarity with the Zimbabwean people against sanctions. 

This followed a meeting held by Sadc leaders in Tanzania where member states resolved to conduct various activities in their respective countries on the day to resoundingly call for the immediate removal of the sanctions.

In separate interviews yesterday, various stakeholders including tourism executives implored every citizen to join hands with Government in lobbying for removal of sanctions.

Tourism executive Mr Clement Mukwasi said each time sanctions are renewed, there are ripple effects to the tourism industry and this negatively affects the industry as international insurers, whose shareholders are the western government, impose higher premiums.

He said Zimbabwe risks losing tourists if sanctions are not removed. “Zimbabwe is under sanctions form USA and EU countries who are the main source market for our tourism. The country is taken as a high risk destination and travel insurers charge far higher premiums and this has made Zimbabwe less competitive compared to Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa,” said Mr Mukwasi.

The issue of Victoria Falls being very expensive has dominated various fora over the years, with even officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development recently raising the issue with President Mnangagwa in Victoria Falls that prices in hotels were exorbitant.

Mr Mukwasi said once clients perceive a destination as high risk, tourists are charged far higher insurance premiums compared to those going to free countries.

The industry passes such costs to the end user.

“Whenever sanctions are renewed, the destination is perceived as high risk and operators will not risk the money of the shareholder by charging low prices. Airlines are also charged higher insurance premiums because most companies who underwrite insurance paid by tourists are owned by government or government has higher stakes. 

“So the risk is that in future fewer people will choose to visit Zimbabwe not because of shop floor prices but because of the whole chain costs. If it continues, it means that some clients may not even put Zimbabwe on their itinerary as they traverse across Africa,” said Mr Mukwasi.

He said this could be the reason for Victoria Falls being expensive. The tourism industry also buys some goods like vehicles from outside the country and this is another area that is affected.

Another tourism executive Mr Tonderai Mutasa, who is also Victoria Falls City councillor, said tourism suffers because money sent to Zimbabwe is treated with suspicion and that alone discourages tourists.

The tourism sector is the mainstay of Victoria Falls economy and employs about 80 percent of the city’s workforce population.

“Sanctions are real and they are causing more harm than good to the tourism industry. No-one would like to go to a place where his or her government doesn’t approve. Therefore these restrictions do not end at curtailing receipts but discredit our destination through lies peddled by the detractors.  

“The world must be reminded that we are one of the most peaceful nations and safest destinations with friendly people hence we must be viewed as a safe destination,” said Mr Mutasa.

Mr Christopher Ndiweni, proprietor of Mayelane Tours said operators are forced to inflate prices to cover operating costs. He concurred that Victoria Falls is viewed as expensive because of the effects of tourism.

“When a product or services comes with an expensive tag that affects local pricing. So already the high premiums charged on tourists discourage them from travelling or translate to huge costs for operators and this is a clear effect of sanctions. Just like it has happened in the fuel sector, operators will also raise prices and rates so as to remain afloat and in the process we become an expensive destination,” said Mr Ndiweni. Sanctions also affect processing of inbound and outbound payments. Victoria Falls City Mayor Councillor Somveli Dlamini said people who suffer most are ordinary citizens who are left with no jobs and source of income.

“Sanctions affect us adversely because they cause travel restrictions. Tourists are insured when they come from their respective countries and when they visit countries on embargoes they are told to travel at their own risk. 

“This makes most of them refrain from visiting Zimbabwe. Sometimes some struggle to use their visa cards because institutions block transactions. 

“We are continuing to lobby for the removal of sanctions so that tourism can survive and everybody should take it as a duty to lobby for their removal,” said Cllr Dlamini. — @ncubeleon.