Zimbabwe Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Walter Mzembi, said Victoria Falls and its immediate surroundings would remain natural and untouched, regardless of efforts made to improve infrastructure that would capitalise on this “special economic zone”. 
Mzembi was speaking in December at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, which was attended by more than 200 local and regional tourism operators. 
To boost infrastructure and therefore earnings, Mzembi plans to create modern entertainment spaces on 300ha adjacent to the Victoria Falls airport. “Next to the airport I intend to create a Niagara, a US$30 billion economy. We realise that the difference between our own Falls and Niagara is that we have not planted any infrastructure that captures the imagination of the demographic dividend, the younger group,” he said.
In November, Tourism Update reported statements made by Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive, Karikoga Kaseke, that the Vic Falls should be more commercialised to attract more tourists. Some of the ideas suggested by Kaseke included electrifying the premises, putting in modern infrastructure and running it on a 24-hour basis. (See article here.) 
Mzembi appealed to local operators to provide input on how to shape his proposal, which could transform VicFalls from its current US$1 billion a year economy between Zimbabwe and Zambia.