Story by Tichaona Kurewa
The World Bank and government are impressed by the positive impact being brought about by the joint destination marketing initiative by ‘We Are Victoria Falls’ and Cape town tourism.
Victoria Falls tourism stakeholders under the banner, ‘We Are Victoria Falls’ and Cape Town Tourism partnered last year to jointly market the two destinations to common source markets and the initiative is proving highly effective in attracting tourists into the two iconic resorts.
The campaign, being bankrolled to a tune of US$2 million by the International Finance Corporation’s subsidiary of the World Bank, is expediting the tourism recovery post COVID-19.
World Bank, Regional Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa, Ms Victoria Kwakwa said, “It has gone on well, significant impact has been seen. On the revenues, if we are to look at the Victoria Falls, the recovery post COVID-19 is faster than what is happening in other parts of Africa whether it’s revenues, whether it’s diversification of products, whether it’s occupancy, whether it’s aviation access to this side – all of it has dome much better than other parts of Africa. It’s encouraging and we are delighted that we have been able to contribute to this impact.”
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbra Rwidzi said, “We are very excited about the progress that IFC has made with the private sector here in Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is the capital of tourism in the country and it needs to be marketed in a unique way, in its own way and to be promoted. IFC and the private sector in Victoria Falls have come together to give a solution that has to do with marketing, promoting destination Victoria Falls and they have progressed so much.”
Tourism players confirmed the growing impact of the initiative.
Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe representative, Barbra Murasiranwa-Hughes said, “This has brought in a lot of confidence in our destination Victoria Falls, because most people were going to Cape Town and just coming over to Victoria Falls as an add on destination. Right now they are actually coming to both destinations because they believe that they can get more out of their visit to Africa. We have also seen airlines increasingly flying between Victoria Falls and Cape Town.”
“We have launched a new website, ‘We are Victoria Falls’, which is a full destination portal and we are finalising on the data dashboard for the destination,” project coordinator, Ms Shelly Cox stated.
Working with key airlines and private sector operators, the campaign has attracted shared tourist markets to visit the two places over the past year.
