The low-cost airline Fastjet Zimbabwe made its first voyage yesterday from Victoria Falls to Maun in Botswana, which is the hub of the Okavango Delta’s tourist business. This is a move that will have a positive impact on the tourism industry in the surrounding area.
The new service route will run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays each week at a frequency of four times each week.
The new flying arrangement will give the much-needed regular connection between Victoria Falls and Maun, which will make it easier for tourists to travel about the area and view the most popular sights.
“We are happy to introduce a scheduled service to Maun in Botswana from our ever-growing Victoria Falls tourist hub,” said Mr. Nunurai Ndawana, spokesman for fastjet Zimbabwe. “We are thrilled to offer a scheduled service to Maun in Botswana from our ever-growing Victoria Falls tourism hub.”
“We continue to strengthen Victoria Falls as a regional tourism hub,” said one of the company’s representatives, “and the introduction of this new flight service four times a week will connect two of Southern Africa’s most sought-after destinations, the Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta, with a reliable scheduled air service.”
Ms. Vivian Ruwuya, chief commercial officer of Fastjet Zimbabwe, said that “Victoria Falls continues to be one of our priority targets,” and that “new route adds to Fastjet’s international footprint in the area.”
We are planning to adapt our size and operate the Maun flights utilizing a dual fleet model, which will include our Embraer ERJ145 aircraft and the Cessna Grand Caravan 208B aircraft that is owned by our partner. This will enable the continued and sustainable growth of this route.
Both aircraft are noted for having capacities that are just the perfect size to allow them to be flexible enough to develop a regional network that will persist for a long time.
Yesterday, Mr. Anald Musonza, who serves as the head of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe for Victoria Falls, complimented Fastjet on its efforts to continue promoting destination Zimbabwe.
One may say that FastJet is the “all-weather companion” of the tourist industry. They have supplied access when it seemed that we would no longer have any, “added Mr. Musonza, who is not only the owner of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge but also the resort’s general manager.
“At HAZ, we want to offer our congratulations on the innovative nature and tenacity that have been shown by the Fastjet business concept.” We beseech all of our business partners in the travel sector to back Fastjet so that they may increase the number of seats in their aircraft and the airlift into our location. According to him, the regional integration that was made possible by connecting Victoria Falls with other cities and towns, such as Maun, Kruger, Harare, and Johannesburg, amongst others, had been “phenomenal.” This gave the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area region hope for rekindling economic expansion.
“We are seeing the quick return of our business as a result of the expansion of air access. We are pleased that the speedy completion of the airlift capability just so happened to coincide with the beginning of the busy season. Mr. Musonza said that we should anticipate a successful peak season. The Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Ms. Winnie Muchanyuka, sent her congratulations to Fastjet on the occasion of the airline’s inauguration.
“This new development as the ZTA comes as a source of great excitement for us.” This gesture is very much appreciated since it will provide visitors to the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area with the opportunity to enjoy one more thing while they are there.