ZIMBABWE recorded a 16% increase in tourist arrivals in 2015
According to the first quarter report released by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA)yesterday Tourist arrivals rose from 387 557 recorded in the first quarter of 2015 to 450 572 during the same period in 2016.
The increase is driven by visitors from mainland Africa which increased by 11% to 380 790 from 343 644 in 2015.
“European arrivals into Zimbabwe rose by 28% to 27 433 from 21 496 in 2015. The major European countries (Benelux, France, Germany) Spain, Austria) recorded increases except for Britain and Ireland which fell by 10%. The fringe European markets also registered decreases, thus Portugal 30%, Switzerland 21%, Nordic Countries 14% and Italy 10%,” says the report.
More than 10 000 USA arrivals were recorded at Victoria Falls Barrier depicting a massive influx of American tourists coming from Zambia
“Tourist arrivals from the Americas increased by 120% in the 1st Quarter of 2016 which had 22 620 compared to 10 294 arrivals in 2014
“Asia rose by a remarkably high margin of 157% to 14 004 in 2016, compared to 5441 in 2015. The Asian region followed the growth pattern of the Americas, wherein all major markets grew significantly, except for Pakistan which fell by 53%,” revealed part of the report.
Meanwhile Arrivals from Oceania decreased by 17%, on the backdrop of decreases in arrivals from both Australia (12%) and New Zealand (33%). This was in sharp contrast to the trend from the first quarter of 2015 where arrivals from the region actually grew by 23%.
The average hotel room occupancy rate for the first quarter of 2016 was down at 36 percent from 38 percent recorded during the same period last year
According to the report Harare had the highest average room occupancy rate of 53% followed by Victoria Falls, Midlands, Mutare/Vumba and Nyanga. The 53% for Harare was achieved through promotions on room rates offered by major hotel groups otherwise the occupancies could have been lower.
ZTA said though there was an increase in tourist arrivals into the country, not all of them end up in hotels, many of them especially those from Mainland Africa resort to very cheap sources of accommodation in lodges as well as friends and relatives.
