COVID-19: Standstill To International Tourism Blow To Curio Vendors

by Bokani Mudimba

The coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of borders halting international tourism, from earning a substantial amount in USD per week, curio vendors now earn nothing.

VICTORIA FALLS, August 18, 2020. (The Citizen Bulletin) — THE COVID-19 pandemic has left a trail of untold suffering for curio vendors in Victoria Falls, with many of them turning destitute.

From a life of earning foreign currency on a daily basis from the sale of curios mostly to foreign tourists, curio vendors are finding it difficult to adjust to the “new normal” after going for almost five months without any business.

Prior to COVID-19, a curio vendor would realize between US$20 and US$50 on a good day, others could make as much as US$100 per day from the sale of curio pieces comprising wooden wildlife artefacts including the Big Five and sculptures.

A single sale per week could rake in more money than some formal sector employees.  

The global coronavirus pandemic which led to international travel bans drastically affected the tourism industry leaving Victoria Falls with no alternative source of income. Hotels, restaurants, and tour operators closed shop because of lack of business and sent workers on indefinite leave while others have lost their jobs.

Major curio market in Victoria Falls are Busy Island, Sinathankawu, Thokozani Craft Market, Tshaka’s Den, Zambezi Arts and Craft Women Centre, Elephants Walk and others are dotted along the highway to Hwange targeting tourists going for game drives and village tours.

A visit to some of the curio markets in the country’s resort town showed a gloomy picture. The markets are deserted with some curios scattered by baboons that freely roam the streets and are covered by dry tree leaves.

Jabulani Moyo who has been a curio vendor for more than 20 years, cannot hide his misery as he helplessly sits on a wooden stool outside Busy Island Market. Next to him are some curios that he has been polishing as he ponders his next move.

“I have been selling at this market since the age of 18 after finishing my Form Four. I have never been employed anywhere because this has been a sustainable source of income for me and my family. I don’t know how I will be able to continue taking care of my wife and three children.”

Jabulani Moyo, curio vendor

The government last month announced the partial reopening of the tourism industry for domestic clients, raising hopes for Moyo and hundreds of other curio vendors.

That hope was short-lived.

 “We are just here to clean our stuff. I have not held any USD$ since March and we thought the recent call by the government for tourism to open would change things for the better but it’s been a month now without a single customer,” adds Moyo.

Fading hope: Some of the curio vendors attend to their wares in Victoria Falls as they desperately wait for reopening of the tourism industry. Image by Bokani Mudimba | The Citizen Bulletin

Sifundo Gumbo who operates at Sinathankawu Market has appealed to the government to allow intercity travelling.

“There is no way we can expect to get customers from local residents. They should allow people to travel from other towns and that way probably we can get customers. As it stands this is a dead business. The council wants rent and landlords are threatening to evict us. Some have relocated to their rural homes outside Victoria Falls because they could no longer afford to pay rent and buy food for their families,” he says.

Intercity travelling remains banned in the country while borders are also still closed as the national lockdown continues.

Soneni Ncube, a mother of two, says she now survives on begging.

“My husband was selling curios at Elephants Walk and was making enough to pay rent, buy food and clothes for our children. Since we no longer have income, we now survive on begging. I sometimes carry my children and go to some people’s houses to beg for food because I can’t watch my children die of hunger,” Ncube says.

Abigail Vaan, a tour operator and property owner at whose premises one of the markets is located, says she understands how COVID-19 had disrupted livelihoods hence she has stopped asking for rent seeing that none of the vendors can afford to pay.

She, however, says they will have to settle everything once the situation normalizes.

Victoria Falls Municipality public relations officer Ngqabutho Moyo says none of the vendors have approached council seeking a rental waiver for the time being.

Ward two councillor Netsai Shoko in whose ward most of the curio markets are located has appealed to the government to consider curio vendors on relief funds being given to small entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19.

Government has been consulting tourism stakeholders with a view to open the sector with a focus on the domestic market and recently launched the Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy in Victoria Falls.

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu says opening domestic tourism will help the country prepare itself for the restart of international tourism.

Uncertainties remain on the total reopening of tourism. On one hand, the industry is desperate to resume business to remain afloat while on the other hand there are fears tourism resorts could become hotspots for COVID-19.

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