We are the Destination Management Partnership for Victoria Falls. We are a public private entity mandated under the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry to coordinate and manage all of the elements that make up the destination.
We are the Destination Management Partnership for Victoria Falls. We are a public private entity mandated under the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry to coordinate and manage all of the elements that make up the destination.
It is the coordination of all of the elements that make up the destination. Access, transport, attractions, experiences, safety, health, sustainability – are all elements that are typically managed by different entities. But a good destination manager is able to unite stakeholders behind a common vision, solve problems and proactively steer the destination along the best pathway.
There are two main objectives for a destination manager. Firstly, to improve the visitor experience from the moment visitors arrive to the moment they leave. And secondly, to make sure that the visitor economy is delivering the best ‘returns’ for the destination. A good destination manager works to attract the kind of tourist the destination actually wants, works to make sure the costs and benefits are equitably spread, and ensures that the sustainability, creativity and resilience of the destination is being enhanced by tourism. After all, better places to live in make better places to visit.
A stakeholder partnership that takes on the role of destination management. It is rare that one entity or institution can work across all of the different stakeholders that make up a destination. Most destinations today have instead established partnerships – usually public-private partnerships – where the partners are responsible for different elements managing the destination. Normally these partnerships have some kind of legal status or mandate, their own budget, and some autonomy in taking local decisions that will benefit the destination.
In some cases, these partnerships find that they need to set up a destination management organization, or ‘DMO’ which will coordinate the partners, and take on some of the functions on behalf of the partners. The DMO reports to the partners and/or an advisory board.
Every destination is different, but the fundamental functions typically include:
All of this follows a Destination Management Plan, which sets out the goals and activities agreed to by all of the partners. To do this, the Partnership usually needs to fundraise, monitor and report on its activity.
We will continually position Victoria Falls as a market leader in sustainable tourism, promoting the value of the destination and driving sustainable stewardship, jobs and business development from its regional position at the heart of one of the largest conservation area on earth.
The Partnership’s mission is to engage all stakeholders to coordinate the elements of the destination in order to;
We are set up as an independent association under Common Law. The association has a Board of Directors, and works with a wide range of partners across Victoria Falls to support our mission. The partnership is further supported by its membership base of diverse business, community and residential members.
The voluntary Board of Directors is made up of public and private entities with a vested interest in the successful management of the destination. The public entities include Victoria Falls City Council, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Airports Company Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency. The private sector is represented by two Board Members from the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe, and other private or civil society leaders elected by the members. The Constitutions provides more detail.
As a multi-stakeholder entity, the Board of Directors provides strategic oversight over the management of the destination. They support the sustainable development of Victoria Falls, in-line with the goals of the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, the City Council and other stakeholders. This is done through playing a coordination role.
The partners in the destination, for example, public agencies, tourism operators, or local NGOs carry out activities in support of our mission, often working together to raise funds. These activities are coordinated through thematic working groups that identify local solutions to local challenges.
We are able to raise funding from both public and private sources, as well as raise revenues. However, almost all of the activities that support our mission in Victoria Falls are executed by our partners through their own resources.