Victoria Falls new international airport opening soon

The new $150 million Victoria Falls International Airport which is set to change the face of the resort town is just four months away from opening, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has confirmed.

According to CAAZ, the new airport which has the capacity to accommodate 1.7 million passengers per year more than three times the current number was set to be completed at the end of September this year.

The organisation said the finishing touches such as electrical and navigational fittings were now being put in place on the new 4km runway, which will be capable of landing the world's largest passenger aircraft. The existing runway will become a taxiway.

Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) chief executive Ross Kennedy said the new airport would transform the resort town's landscape.

"The positive impact of the new Victoria Falls International Airport is still a long way from being measured, but the trade is excited at the potential of long haul direct routes, instead of via Johannesburg," Kennedy said.

The potential impact on tourism in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and the region is huge.

Simple arithmetic shows that just three wide-bodied jets a week will make a dramatic positive impact to the destination.

Kennedy said the airport would also create its own "mini economy" with increased staffing throughout and support facilities which included more duty-free and retail space, as well as new restaurants and coffee shops.