The Sunday News
THE Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) will hold special meetings with selected senior executives to showcase the country’s major attractions, giving the decision-makers a time to appreciate what the country has to offer in terms of products and services, an official said.
CAAZ public relations and communications manager, Mrs Annajulia Hungwe, said the Host Airlines Programme (HAP) would be held a day earlier than the official proceedings of Routes Africa 2014 event in Victoria Falls.
The 9th Routes Africa will take place from 22-24 June 2014 in Victoria Falls and will open with the Routes Africa Strategy Summit on Sunday, 22 June.
“The Host Airlines Programme will give us time to meet key stakeholders and discuss pertinent issues as well as the opportunity for us to show them various places as we sell our products as Zimbabwe,” said Mrs Hungwe.
HAP is an exclusive additional programme targeted at certain airlines but is part of the process of Routes Africa.
According to the Routes Africa schedule, delegates will be offered a chance to explore the Victoria Falls airport extension project in order to appreciate the future outlook of the airport.
The developmental project includes the construction of a new four-kilometre runway and associated taxiways, construction of a new terminal building to become the international terminal and the refurbishment of the existing terminal building to become the domestic terminal building.
The airport project also includes the construction of a new air traffic control tower and new fire station.
“The existing short runway at this airport has been a major shortcoming in allowing large aircraft operating into this much sought-after destination. This has necessitated the development of bigger, convenient and customer focused airport,” read part of a Routes online statement.
The terminal building, upon completion, is expected to be able to handle 1,5 million passengers per annum and is expected to be complete by mid next year.
The runway is at 41 percent completion while the terminal building is at about 24 percent.
The delegates will also see the Victoria Falls accompanied by National Parks qualified guides and learn the history of the falls, details on the flora and fauna, birds and wildlife as well as other activities.
“This tour will offer delegates the chance to explore one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Majestic Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is the most breathtaking waterfall, the only one found in Africa. En route to the rainforest delegates may be taken past the “Big Tree” where they may stop and take photos,” said Routesonline.
Routes Africa is expected to attract representation from around 40 airlines, 50 airports and over 15 tourism authorities along with a number of other industry stakeholders from across the region to discuss air service development.
Thirty-six airlines, represented by senior delegations, have confirmed their attendance at the event in Victoria Falls. Low cost carriers will attend in force with registrations received from the likes of Comair, Fastjet, Fly540 and start up carrier FlyAfrica.com.
The event will also see representation from the three biggest African Carriers, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South African Airways and from the Middle East, national carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways have already registered for the event.
“We will also see a strong representation from European airlines including British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, Vueling, Iberia Airlines and Condor Airlines looking into expanding their network to the continent.”
