'Too much development in Victoria Falls'

A heated dispute has erupted over the pace of development in Victoria Falls, with environmental activists warning that the resort town's boom is threatening the future of Zimbabwe's most famous natural wonder.

The Victoria Falls was declared a World Heritage Site in 1989, with UNESCO requiring parts of the site to be preserved "intact for future generations." But campaigners under the Keep Vic Falls Wild initiative say this pledge is being broken as new hotels, lodges, and restaurants spring up across the town.

"Perhaps it's time we called for an international boycott of tourism to the Zimbabwean side of the Falls, where a wave of development proposals threatens conservation areas," the group declared in a statement.

City officials and investors insist the projects are legal and necessary to meet demand. They argue the town faces a shortage of 2,200 hotel beds and lacks adequate conference facilities to host large international events. The City of Victoria Falls' draft masterplan would expand its jurisdiction from 22 to 244 square kilometres, but activists warn this would swallow parts of the national park and forest reserves that were once protected.

Among the most controversial projects is Baines Restaurant, built near the Zambezi. Critics say it violates the "Highly Ecologically Sensitive Zone," while its owners maintain they are operating within authorised limits. The restaurant is suing conservationist Larry Norton for US$2 million after he accused it of contributing to the "creeping commercialisation" of the Falls.

Other projects include InterContinental's plan for a 57-room Six Senses Hotel, which campaigners say encroaches on a no-development zone. Lamcent Capital is also planning a 120-room Hilton-managed hotel next to the Palm River Hotel, while French group Accor has announced a Novotel overlooking the Masuwe River, expected to open in 2028.

Smaller luxury lodges are also multiplying. The Bupenyu Boutique Lodge is nearing completion on the edge of Batoka Gorge, Newmark Hotels & Reserves is developing Twalumba Lodge, and Wild Horizons has just opened its Waterfalls Lodge. Minor Hotels is preparing to launch the Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel, a sister to Zambia's Royal Livingstone.

Despite the objections, local authorities remain adamant that expansion is unavoidable. "Our doctors should be able to move from one point to another," Victoria Falls mayor Jacob Mafume recently said of similar council initiatives, underscoring the town's need for infrastructure to support growth.

But critics insist that Victoria Falls' appeal lies in its wildness — something they fear will be lost if unchecked development continues. The clash between conservation and commerce is now threatening to split Zimbabwe's premier tourist destination, leaving the future of the Falls caught between preservation and profit.