Zimbabwe Update

IMVELO SAFARI LODGES

UPDATE ON POLITICAL SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe is back online after intermittent internet and social media outages last week, which were ordered by the authorities in response to the disturbances in the cities of Harare and Bulawayo. The internet blackout was ruled illegal by the High Court in Harare on January 22, 2019.

Currently, Imvelo Safari Lodges employees and guests have not been affected in any way and there have been no disturbances anywhere near Victoria Falls and Hwange. All Imvelo camps remain fully operational and all transfers and flights are operating as scheduled. Even in the city of Bulawayo where Imvelo’s office are, it has been business as normal throughout – barring dealing with the internet issues and switching to satellite-based communications!

The protests and disturbances in the cities last week are entirely an urban issue, mostly in the townships and business district of downtown of Harare. Victoria Falls and Hwange are ~300 miles from Bulawayo and ~500 miles from Harare, respectively, and are insulated from the issues elsewhere in the country. We do not feel there should be any concerns about traveling to Victoria Falls or Hwange as the camps/lodges/hotels and the tourist areas remain unaffected.

In point of fact, tourism continues to be a critical economic driver for rural communities around Victoria Falls and especially around Hwange, so please keep the bookings coming! We understand that media reports can lead to concerns about Zimbabwe’s safety and security but we hope this update puts the situation in context.

We will, of course, keep a close watch on the situation, and contact our industry partners in the event that it becomes necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help with any queries you may have.