Vic Falls - Zimbabwe

by David Ryan

Since the 11th of March beating of Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarari and the subsequent beating of his chief spokesperson this weekend, Zimbabwe and the antics of Robert Mugabe in particular have been splashed across newspapers and television screens the world over.

As one of Africa’s leading web-based Tour Operators, Rhino Africa sends hundreds of guests to Victoria Falls annually, and as such I thought it only appropriate that we release a statement on our specific thoughts on the current situation in Zimbabwe, particularly the Victoria Falls Region.

Together with 11 Rhino Africa Travel Consultants I have just returned from a fantastic visit to Victoria Falls, and in particular the Zimbabwean side of the Falls and surrounding areas. There are a number of reasons why we continue to promote the Zimbabwean side of Vic Falls, despite the political upheaval in the country, a few of which I have outlined below.

The View of the Falls:

The primary reason an Itinerary includes Vic Falls is of course to see the magnificent wall of water, so the first thing to understand, is that like most African Destinations, the Falls are different at different times of the year. What people often don’t realize is that the falls start flowing from the Zimbabwean side, and recede from the Zambian side, as the water levels in the Zambezi River rise and fall through the seasons (to understand the lay of the land, take a look at our Vic Falls map).

This means that when planning a trip to Victoria Falls, in order to get a truly spectacular view of the falls, you need to seriously consider the season and water levels as for nearly six months of the year, the Zambian side of the falls is almost dry.

Vic Falls Town:

The convenience of Vic Falls Town – Zim - lies in its close proximity to the falls and its enclosing national park. On a quiet evening you can hear the water thundering away and the holiday town feel is accentuated by the fact that everything is within walking distance and the scarcity of fuel means the roads are relatively quiet.

Despite being a shadow of its former self, due to the presidential bite, Vic Falls Town has soldiered on despite many setbacks and provides basic shopping as well as excellent tourist amenities for the numerous adrenaline-based activities, wildlife safaris and more civilized pursuits like sunset cruises. Several grand hotels have also withstood the rule of a despot and maintained the highest international standards; the views have remained unchanged for eons, while service is warm and genuinely friendly belying the poverty of a ravaged country.

The People:

Our approach to continue marketing and encouraging people to visit the Zimbabwean side of Vic Falls, goes beyond the experience of the ‘best view’ and ‘town atmosphere’ - it supports the view of British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett on a micro-scale in that it would be unfair on the people and businesses of Vic Falls if we were to stop sending clients, in that the people of Vic Falls that are already suffering at the hands of Mugagbe's demented policies, would suffer more than Mr Mugabe’s government from the total demise of Tourism to the area.

Security:

Ironically – or not - the Zimbabwean government understands the value of the tourism dollar, and as such, Victoria Falls remains a peaceful place, with helpful officials and specially designated ‘Tourism Police’ that ensure you are able to walk around the Town freely and securely.

The incidents which everyone has been reading about are largely isolated, occurring in the countries capital of Harare. To date there have been no reports of mass protests nor a violent up-rising against the current Zanu-PF regime.

That said, with continued visits to the area, and an ear to the ground, we will continue to monitor the situation on the ground very closely. Safety and security of our guests remains our number one priority, and the moment there is the slightest possible risk to guest safety, we will refrain from marketing Vic Falls as a destination until such time as stability returns.

Until then, I would encourage anyone with a desire to travel to this spectacular wonder, to continue with their travel plans – once on the ground, I assure you, your safety and security concerns will be put to rest and you will have the holiday of a life-time.

Read more about our visit to Vic Falls

Below is a statement released by British Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, on the situation in Zimbabwe published on Friday 16 March. Sadly it does not appear to show any change in the un-confrontational policy that has been adopted by FCO for years.

'Brutal regimes often try to hide from the outside world the price their people pay for their own failed policies. Then a single event will bring it back to the surface and into our headlines. On 11 March Zimbabwean police broke up a prayer meeting in Harare. One man was killed, 50 people were arrested, and the badly battered face of the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangarai, has been seen in papers and on televisions across the globe.

'For those of us who have watched the tragedy of Zimbabwe unfold over recent years, this latest appalling attack comes as little surprise: it is a symptom of a country in crisis. An economy in free-fall - GDP halved since 2000 and inflation set to top 5,000 per cent. A quarter of the population dependent on food aid, four in every five without a job, and one of the lowest life expectancies in the world: a girl born in Zimbabwe today will, on average, die before she reaches 35. Little wonder that between three and four million people have already left the country.

'We in Britain have always been clear on Zimbabwe. We want change for the better - joining the millions of Zimbabwean voices calling for their own government to listen to its people, take heed and change. But the regime controls the media and portrays Robert Mugabe as standing up for the rights of Africans against outside interference. So we have a twin focus.

'First we are doing what we can to alleviate the suffering of Zimbabweans, while making sure that assistance is not exploited to prop-up the regime. In the past five years, we have given more than £140 million to humanitarian projects and to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic which has infected one in five Zimbabweans. That money is helping to keep millions alive. And we are also offering a full consular service to the large community with ties to the UK.

'Second we support all those working for peaceful change. We condemn violence from any quarter and, despite the incredible provocation, we hope that this latest attack will not lead to further bloodshed. We are playing a leading role in EU efforts to isolate President Mugabe's regime. We have targeted its leaders rather than impose wider sanctions that would harm the very people we are trying to help. So the EU has banned 130 people from coming to Europe, we've frozen their assets and banned all arms sales.

'This is not - whatever President Mugabe might claim - a personal attack on him. We care about policies not personalities. We want reform. We want sensible economic measures. We want a return to freedom of association and freedom of the press. We want free and fair elections. More importantly, so do the people of Zimbabwe. We don't care if this is done by Mr Mugabe or by someone else. What matters is that the situation for ordinary Zimbabweans improves. They deserve better.'

2007/03/19 | permalink |

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Vic Falls - Zimbabwe

by David Ryan

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