For many years visiting Victoria Falls, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been a much difficult task owing to the region’s creaking infrastructure. The situation is now going to change after the opening of Victoria Falls International Airport.
The $150 million airport is expected to handle about 1.5 million passengers annually. Its smooth new runway can accommodate some of the world’s largest jets which will consequently help to direct international flights to Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe said that the airport signifies exciting times for aviation and tourism sectors. It will pave way for Victoria Falls town to become a tourism hub for SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the rest of the African continent. In the announcement, he requested people to keep the airport tidy, clean, and not mess it up with litter thrown everywhere.
Victoria Falls International Airport was funded and constructed by China and is a promising sign of growing Chinese influence in Zimbabwe. In fact, in 2015 there was an announcement that it would adopt the Yuan as legal tender. The airport will also serve as an opportunity for other nations and their flag carriers and can now direct its tourists to one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
Namibian Airways, British Airways and Fly Africa are the only airlines currently flying into Victoria Falls; Qatar and Etihad have also shown an interest in serving the new hub.
