Zimbabwe sees big rise in air flights as tourism rebounds

By Xinhua

HARARE: Zimbabwe recorded an increase of 52.3 percent in the number of both domestic and international flights in 2022 compared to the previous year, as the tourism sector continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) said Monday.

The number of flights increased to 50,640 in 2022, up from 33,254 flights recorded in 2021, the ZIMSTAT said in its transport statistics report for the period 2018-2022 released Monday.

“For the period 2018 to 2022, the year 2020 recorded the lowest number of both domestic (8,013) and international flights (9,005),” the ZIMSTAT said.

After consistently declining from 2018 to 2020, the number of air transport passengers rebounded in 2021, with the country’s main airport, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, in the national capital of Harare, recording a 97.3 percent increase in air passengers in 2022 compared to the previous year, the ZIMSTAT said.

Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in the second largest city of Bulawayo registered an 82.6 percent increase in air passengers in 2022 compared to the previous year.

The ZIMSTAT said international air passengers accounted for more than 80 percent of the total air passengers during the 2018-2022 period.