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Patrick Chitumba in Victoria Falls
ZIMBABWE has the capacity to handle the anticipated growth of the aviation industry buoyed by an upsurge in regional and international airlines seeking to return to the country, an official said yesterday.In an interview on the sidelines of the 9th edition of Routes Africa Forum which ended in Victoria Falls on Tuesday, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (Caaz) chief executive officer David Chawota said the country had started reaping the rewards of hosting the forum.

“Already two airlines, Fly Africa and Fastjet, have announced their intentions to service the Victoria Falls-Johannesburg and Harare-Dar es Salaam routes respectively. Fly Africa will be an addition to British Airways Comair, SA Airways and Air Zimbabwe. Qatar made announcements that it would be plying the Harare route,” he said.

“We have the capacity to handle many airlines in the country. In the 1990s, we used to handle more than 40 and ever since, we have improved our capacity and we now have modern facilities and improved on our safety record.”

Chawota said the forum had turned into an international routes platform which saw delegates from as far as the USA, Europe, Middle East and Far East attending.

He said the forum was also an opportunity for captains of industry to have a feel of Zimbabwe and get an appreciation of Victoria Falls in particular.

“This forum was also a marketing tool for us to attract more tourists. All these delegates, the facilitators, tour operators and government officials here are our ambassadors,” Chawota said.

“It is important for them to be here and see for themselves what is on the ground. We have brought them and they have seen progress, for example the expansion project at Victoria Falls International Airport which will be operational from June next year.”

Chawota said the country should start planning for increased business opportunities.

“The essence of the forum is improving connectivity and as Caaz, we are there to make sure that facilities are in place. As Caaz we have a role to play. Airlines service their routes and we make sure that the available facilities are there for them to expand their routes,” he said.