Mana Pools is struggling to capture the growth seen in Zimbabwe’s more established destinations, such as Victoria Falls and Hwange, with operators reporting declining or flat bed-night volumes.
Rhino Africa Founder and CEO David Ryan told Tourism Update that its Mana Pools bed-night volume declined by approximately 34% between financial years 2024 and 2026 while the booking value declined by approximately 37% over the same period.
In contrast, its Hwange bed night production increased by approximately 21% between financial years 2024 and 2026 and the booking value increased by around 28%.
Similarly, Maija De Rijk-Uys, Group MD of African Bush Camps, said the company has seen double-digit growth in Hwange bed nights year on year while Mana Pools bookings are relatively flat compared with last year.
Ryan believes the figures do not indicate a broader loss of interest in Zimbabwe but a concentration of demand around destinations that are easier to access.
“We are seeing travellers favour Victoria Falls and Hwange because they are easier to access, easier to understand and easier to combine into a broader Southern African itinerary,” he said.
Africa’s Eden CEO Jillian Blackbeard said demand for Mana Pools is rising slowly but not yet enough to make a real difference.
“We’d like to see much more geographic spread towards less-visited destinations like Mana Pools. We’d also like to see them sold year round rather than only in season as far as that’s possible,” she said.
Blackbeard said Victoria Falls’ popularity is driven by how easy it is for the trade to sell with limited specialist knowledge and relatively straightforward flights and logistics.
She said this creates an opportunity for lesser-known destinations such as Mana Pools, particularly when Victoria Falls accommodation is unavailable due to high demand. However, agents often move clients to another region rather than offering an alternative Zimbabwean destination.
“Less-visited destinations like Mana Pools often have availability and sometimes better prices,” Blackbeard said.
Barriers
Access to Mana Pools remains the biggest obstacle.
Ryan said reaching Mana Pools generally requires an additional charter flight or a lengthy 4x4 journey whereas Hwange can be added relatively easily to a Victoria Falls itinerary.
“Mana’s remoteness is simultaneously one of its greatest assets and one of its biggest commercial barriers,” he said.
Seasonality adds another constraint. Ryan said many Mana Pools camps operate broadly between April and November with demand concentrated in the dry season.
Blackbeard said the rains also make road transfers and movement through the park difficult so many camps close during the wet period.
Ryan believes competition from other African destinations is another factor. Mana Pools competes for the same luxury traveller as Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and premium South African safari products. “At that level, travellers increasingly expect seamless logistics,” he said.
A specialist product
Ryan described the situation as a “structural commercial challenge” rather than a fundamental shift away from Mana Pools.
“The demand exists but converting that interest into bookings requires more work,” he said.
Mana Pools is particularly suited to repeat safari travellers who have already experienced destinations such as the Kruger, Serengeti, Maasai Mara or the Okavango, Ryan added.
“Mana is probably better positioned as the safari one experiences next rather than necessarily the safari one experiences first.”
Blackbeard similarly noted that traditional source markets such as Europe, as well as repeat visitors, are more receptive to remote destinations while newer African safari markets tend to favour better-known locations.
The challenge, she said, is partly one of trade education.
“The trade still finds it hard to sell. Mana Pools needs ongoing destination education as do Matusadona and Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe, Kafue and Liuwa Plain in Zambia and the Limpopo region.”
She called for webinars, fam trips, supplier roadshows, trade shows and greater media and influencer coverage.
Blackbeard also argued that Mana Pools should not be sold on its own. “The easiest way is to package it with destinations that already sell easily.”
Ryan said stronger regional circuits, more predictable air connections, improved basic infrastructure and clearer positioning could help strengthen the destination.
“The destination’s proposition should be very clear: walking, canoeing, the Zambezi, elephants, exceptional Zimbabwean guiding and genuine wilderness.”
