Zimbabwe readies to host Victoria Falls Carnival 

Business Reporter

AS preparations for the Victoria Falls Carnival slated for the end of this month gather momentum, organizers are optimistic the event will lure more participants and magnify the marketing of Zimbabwe as a favorable tourist destination.

This year’s edition will run from 28-30 April 2023. Last year’s edition attracted over 4 000 visitors.

In an update, one of the organizers, Mr Bongani Ngwenya said they were excited about the prospects of this year’s edition from a business creation perspective.

“Last year we had 4 000 people that came to witness the 2022 edition of the carnival and this year tickets are selling at a very fast pace and we believe that we will surpass last year’s numbers,” said Mr Ngwenya.

“We have created partnerships with players in the tourism sector in Victoria Falls. We have made arrangements with various players in making sure that packages are created for the expected traffic.

“We put those packages in place to make sure there is a downstream benefit to as many players. The event presents a perfect opportunity for the growth of MICE tourism, and we want to make sure that as many players as possible benefit,” he said.

Mr Ngwenya said as organizers they were delighted by the positive response from the corporate world in terms of support and the creation of downstream business networks.

“We are looking forward to the coming next few weeks as we get into this edition of the carnival,” said Ngwenya.

Commenting, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) head corporate affairs, Mr Godfrey Koti, said the carnival creates opportunities for the destination to propel its MICE promotion objectives.

“The ZTA embraces the carnival event as it is in line with it’s MICE promotion agenda,” he said.

“We are working to increase the participation this year from both the local, regional, and international market.

“We use the carnival to raise awareness on destination Zimbabwe in it’s totality and the conservation activities that are being done around the country.”

Mr Koti said the hosting of the event in Victoria Falls was expected to boost room occupancy, which is good for the hospitality sector and downstream service providers.

“This year, we are excited to hear that there is a very good lineup of entertainment acts and activities. It really gives the industry players increased business and that is what we are looking for as the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority,” said Mr Koti.

“The awards that we’ve received on the international scene were pure testimony to the fact that Zimbabwe is a must-visit destination. We were named the destination of the year in natural beauty category. The minister (Mangaliso Ndlovu) was awarded African Minister of the Year whilst our chief executive was named professional destination manager of the year.

“These are good things that are happening to the sector. They endorse our work and the destination in such a big way. So, we are very excited to be having such an event at such a time,” he said”