Zimbabwe is advancing efforts to strengthen Victoria Falls as a major tourism and business destination with the launch of the US$260 million Khula Development, a mixed-use project featuring hotel accommodation, conference facilities, retail outlets and civic infrastructure designed to expand the destination’s hospitality and investment capacity.
According to tourismupdate.com, construction began with a ground-breaking ceremony on November 6, marking the start of a development intended to strengthen the destination’s tourism and business events offering.
According to Travel Daily News, the project is a public-private partnership between the City of Victoria Falls and Cardinal Corporation, which established Khula Developments as a special purpose vehicle to oversee the investment.
New facilities
The development will transform the existing Victoria Falls City Council offices and rest camp site into a commercial and civic precinct.
The proposed hotel is expected to provide 700 to 780 rooms although the final accommodation capacity has not yet been confirmed.
Conference infrastructure will be another key component with the project partners aiming to attract international meetings, corporate events, exhibitions and regional business gatherings.
The precinct will also include commercial areas, parking facilities and a new municipal administration complex.
Tourism growth
During the ground-breaking ceremony, Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe identified Victoria Falls as a potential hub for regional conferences and investment forums. He said the new civic centre could accommodate COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) business forums, investment conferences and trade facilitation meetings.
The investment is expected to support Victoria Falls’ positioning as a destination for longer stays, business travel and conferences while expanding its hospitality capacity.
According to project representatives, the development could generate between 2 000 and 4 000 jobs across construction, hospitality, retail, transport and supporting services.
The wider development is expected to take approximately eight years to complete.
