The airline says forward bookings for the current twice-weekly flights are “well ahead of management expectations” and with the first flights from Zimbabwe already “operating to full capacity”, fastjet has quickly decided to boost the frequency of the link.
Alongside targeting the large diasporas that left the country almost a decade ago and its strongest markets of Europe and North America, Zimbabwe’s growth strategy will be underpinned by forays into markets such as China and India.
The hosting of Routes Africa, the largest route development forum in the region, is a clear endorsement of the ambitions of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe to attract new airlines into the country and improve connectivity in a continent in desperate need of better air links both internally and into other parts of the world.
Victoria Falls Airport is Zimbabwe’s gateway to the Falls, and handled more than 220,000 passengers in 2013. The Falls’ stunning views, adventure activities and nearby wildlife parks are prime drawcards for tourists, yet a major overhaul of Zimbabwe’s aviation and tourism sectors aims to broaden the region’s appeal further.
