BY NATHAN GUMA recently in Victoria Falls
IT is dusk, and across a section of the Zambezi River up north of Zimbabwe, tour boats drift gently on the water, as seen from the A’Zambezia Resort.
The sun is turning a deep orange, washing a warm glow over tourists, both local and international, who sit chatting as they wait for the sunset.
Yonder, a pod of hippos yawns lazily, marking its territory, while crocodiles bask in what remains of the fading light, giving visitors a rare chance to observe these animals at close range.
Such moments, including the most popular Mosi-oa-Tunya, translating to ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ have been drawing more travellers to the Victoria Falls, boosting Tourism.
However, some of the roads leading to the world wonder have been damaged due to heavy traffic, as the route is also a crucial economic route for trucks from nearby mines and those going to Zambia and other areas.
Over the past months, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) have been focused on rehabilitating the strategic route linking the country to the resort town.
The sections under upgrade are being given a C3 base.
C3 is a strong, compacted layer of crushed rock or gravel that forms the road’s foundation, keeping it stable, durable, and able to support various economic activities.
And now, tourism and hospitality players say the road will further boost local and regional tourism revenue amid increasing potential in the sector.
The optimism aligns with Zimbabwe’s rising global profile.
How it will improve tourism
In late 2025, Forbes magazine named the country the world’s best destination to visit for 2025, reflecting renewed interest and strengthening tourism revenue.
Spending in the sector has also shown a steady rise over the past five years.
“The rehabilitation of the Victoria Falls-Bulawayo Road is a major enabler to the tourism traffic into Victoria Falls and also from Victoria Falls to the interior of Zimbabwe,” said Clement Mukwasi, president of the Employers Association for Tours and Safari Operators, based in Victoria Falls.
“When the road is fully rehabilitated, we are likely to see an influx of domestic tourists coming through to the destination Victoria Falls and also sub-regional tourists from within the Sadc region, mainly those from South Africa.”
Mukwasi says that over the years, most tourists have travelled to Victoria Falls by road, making the condition of the network critical.
“We know that South Africans enjoy travelling more than they prefer flying into the country or into Victoria Falls. So we anticipate that the numbers of South Africans coming through to Victoria Falls to enjoy the activities is going to seriously increase,” he said.
“And we bank this opinion on the statistics of travellers who have been coming from that country on the road. And while the road is still under rehabilitation, the numbers have actually gone down. And so I hope that we’ll go back to the normal numbers as the rehabilitation is complete.”
More exploration
Mukwasi said that an improved road network would allow tourists to explore beyond Victoria Falls.
“Most international tourists fly into Victoria Falls, fly into Harare, and fly into Bulawayo. They spend less days in the distance that they would have flown into because they would have exhausted the activities,” he said.
“However, once this road is rehabilitated, what will happen is that tourists who fly into Victoria Falls would want to go around Zimbabwe tour, where they would want to go to Matopos in Bulawayo, Red Zimbabwe, Mana Pools, Eastern Highlands, and a few other areas.
“So it means that their time in the country will seriously increase.”
He said many travellers currently fly into Victoria Falls without venturing through the interior of the country — a trend the improved road could reverse.
Multi-sectoral approach
Zinara board chairman George Manyaya notes importance of the rehabilitation process, saying the government has taken a multi-sectoral approach to ensure the road is completed on schedule.
“We are grateful for the whole-of-government approach being implemented by the Ministries of Provincial Affairs, Transport, Finance and Tourism in ensuring that the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road is completed in time. This road is strategic to our tourism,” said Dr Manyaya during a tour by journalists on the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road.
“There are various determinants of tourism like amenities, attractions and accommodation, but the other one we are experiencing today is the accessibility aspect, where we need to play our role in connecting people, goods and services along this critical economic road. Roads are not just infrastructure; they are economic arteries,” he said.
As night settles over the Zambezi and tour boats return to shore, the promise of a smoother and reliable route is more than a stretch of tar.
But, a pathway to longer stays, wider exploration and a future where more travellers can witness more magic moments.
