Tourism and conservation stakeholders have sounded the alarm about the unchecked development of tourism facilities at Victoria Falls – an issue UNESCO has identified as a primary threat to the attraction’s World Heritage Site (WHS) status.
Conservation action group Keep Victoria Falls Wild has raised concerns about newly developed and proposed tourism facilities and activities within the “highly ecologically sensitive zone” (HESZ) of the WHS.
Kumbi Chiweshe, Chairman of the Zimbabwe Tour Operators Association (ZTOA) and MD of the Victoria Falls DMC, told Tourism Update the region has a difficult balance to strike between soaring investor interest and environmental preservation.
“The destination is certainly at a crossroads. On one hand, we are seeing unprecedented investment interest — a positive reflection of confidence in Zimbabwe’s tourism sector. On the other, the concentration of development within sensitive zones requires careful planning and cumulative impact management,” said Chiweshe.
In its most recent analysis of the WHS in 2024, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee highlighted that the Falls faces significant development pressure from infrastructure projects.
The committee described the failure of Zimbabwe’s government to provide responses to concerns regarding the permitting of two commercial tourism developments at Cataract Island and its adjacent riverine forest area, within the HESZ, as “regrettable”.
The committee further called for the finalisation of an updated joint integrated management plan (JIMP) between Zimbabwe and Zambia due to “concerns about increasing pressure from tourism infrastructure exacerbated by the absence of strategic planning”. The JIMP was due to be submitted by mid-2025.
In its 2024-2034 General Management Plan (GMP) for the Zambezi and Victoria Falls national parks, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) identifies tourism development and activities as posing the biggest threat to the two parks ranking “very high” in terms of threat to the river, island and gorges, springs and drainage lines and riverine forests and the waterfall itself.
Development pressure driven by soaring demand
In the GMP, ZimParks acknowledged there was immense pressure for tourism development to cater for increasing demand.
“There are concerns about overdevelopment of the resource with a proliferation of lodges, hotels and activities in areas adjacent to the Falls and in the WHS. There are also concerns about the standard and validity of environmental impact assessments that support these developments,” the plan states, additionally referencing a sharp increase in activity providers to around 90.
“Management of increasing numbers of visitors will be a problem for ZimParks in the future. The pressure for boat, helicopter and vehicle access is expected to increase and the management of the rainforest for pedestrian traffic will also present a challenge.”
While tourist demand is high, vastly expanding the number of hotels and lodges is a “recipe for disaster”, said Onne Vegter, Co-Founder and MD of Wild Wings Safaris.
“One cannot stop development and growth but, if we allow greed to dictate the future of Victoria Falls, the primary risk is that the number of beds will double over the next 10 to 20 years and perhaps double again in another 20 years. This would irreversibly alter the character of the Falls as a destination.”
Chiweshe said the ZTOA is strongly advocating for an integrated planning framework involving government, local authorities, the private sector and conservation stakeholders.
“Responsible development is not optional; it is the very foundation of the Victoria Falls brand and its long-term competitiveness. It is essential to balance growth with preservation, ensuring that tourism continues to deliver value for local communities and remains a sustainable gateway to the wider region for generations to come.”
