Zimbabwe registers 10 new air routes

ZIMBABWE has secured at least 10 flight routes over the past two years, as the government moves to revive the sector to pre-Covid 19 pandemic era levels, a senior official said on Thursday.

Addressing a stakeholder's meeting held to discuss the future of Zimbabwe's air service development, Transport and Infrastructure Development permanent secretary Eng Theodius Chinyanga attributed the achievements to a strategic initiative implemented by the Ministry and its parastatals.

"Through this strategic approach, we have achieved some significant milestones over the past two years. Most notably, we have secured 10 routes and frequencies including a long-haul flight into Victoria Falls from Frankfurt by Eurowings Discover.

We have also strengthened connectivity with South Africa, which is one of our main tourism source markets. "Beyond these achievements, we have also put in place a formal coordination framework for implementing and sustaining a successful air service development programme going forward," he said.

Chinyanga said in addition, the Ministry was also leading efforts through the crafting of an Air Service Development Plan. "The plan will guide us in our air service development at two of our international airports of Victoria Falls and Robert Mugabe," he said.

Marketing and business development manager for the Airports Company of Zimbabwe Sarudzai Muza said the new and recovered routes include the first long-haul route to Victoria Falls, from Frankfurt via Windhoek, with Eurowings Discover, with the service now expanded.

There are also additional Airlink frequencies namely Johannesburg to Harare, Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, Durban to Harare as well as Mack Air from Kasane to Victoria Falls, Qatar Airways from Doha to Harare, LAM from Maputo to Harare, FastJet from Kruger to Victoria Falls and Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa to Victoria Falls to Bulawayo.

"We need to secure additional routes to surpass the 2019 capacity levels. Right now from 2022, we have increased by 1.1 percent from the 2019 passenger levels," said Muza.

Speaking at the same event, International Finance Corporation (IFC) country manager Adamou Labara said his organisation was committed to supporting Zimbabwe to improve air service in Harare and Victoria Falls, and to position Victoria Falls as a regional air transport gateway.

"Together with the Government of Japan, IFC has been supporting the Air Services Development Program since late 2020. It has been an exciting journey and the achievements will continue to enhance the resilience of Zimbabwe as an air transport gateway and tourism destination," he said.

Labara said the World Bank Group and the IFC remained committed to supporting Zimbabwe's development outcomes through providing technical assistance with the Zimbabwe Destination Development Program being evidence of that.

"As a testament to this important work, 12 new routes and frequencies for Victoria Falls and Harare have been secured during the past 2 years. This has been achieved during a very difficult time when other countries have been slowing down and route connectivity declined worldwide," he said.

"We must all be proud of this because it has contributed to bringing seat capacity for Zimbabwe, and especially for Victoria Falls, up towards pre-Covid levels, enabling recovery of visitation from Zimbabwe's traditional but also new markets."