Beitbridge border continues to lift tag as busiest inland entry point

BEITBRIDGE border post continues to be the busiest inland entry point as close to 80 000 travellers out of 851 000 used it in the first quarter of the year, the latest figures from the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency show.

Zimbabwe recorded a total of 851 592 arrivals during the first quarter of the year.

The huge number of arrivals, 151 964, came for holiday up from 102 790 recorded in the first quarter of 2023 showing an increase of 47,8 percent.

Of the 851 592 arrivals, 52,4 percent were returning residents.

ZimStat defines residents as Zimbabwean nationals who leave the country for periods not exceeding twelve months while visitors from abroad are residents of other countries who visit and stay in Zimbabwe for less than twelve months.

Returning residents are only measured upon arrival at points of entry. ZimStat through the Department of Immigration collects information on people who arrive in and those who depart from Zimbabwe through the official ports of entry and exit.

Data is collected using Port Returns for visitors from abroad, returning residents and exhibitors.

The collection of data on immigrants is done using the immigration statistical card.

In an update on the first quarter international migration statistics of 2024, Demographic Analysis Manager Mr Perfect Makumbe stated that of the arrivals, 52,4 percent were returning residents and 34,8 percent were visitors from abroad. During the period under review, the number of immigrants increased by 125,5 percent compared to the first quarter of 2023 and the number of residents returning from abroad increased by 16,8 percent.

Immigrants include former residents of other countries intending to stay in Zimbabwe for at least twelve months and temporary residents taking up employment for less than 12 months.

Immigrants also include returning former residents who had declared themselves as emigrants when they left the country and had been away for at least one year.

The agency said a total of 404 979 visitors from abroad entered the country during the first quarter of 2024 and they came for various purposes which were categorised into in-transit, business, educational, holiday and shopping.

The number of holiday visitors increased from a figure of 102 790 in the first quarter of 2023 to 151 964 for the quarter ending March 2024 showing an increase of 47,8 percent.

“The proportion of visitors from abroad who came for holiday increased by 47,8 percent during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023,” Mr Makumbe said.

During the first quarter of 2024, there were 108 852 in-transit visitors compared to 73 460 during the same quarter in 2023 representing an increase of 47,6 percent.

The number of arriving visitors who came for business purposes increased by 204,7 percent from the quarter ending March 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2024. Visitors who came to Zimbabwe for educational purposes in the first quarter of 2024 were 12 596 compared to 2 043 for the same quarter in 2023.

Those who came for shopping were 10 793 up from 2 989 recorded in the quarter ending March 2023.

This represented an increase of 261,1 percent.

A total of 270 776 arrivals constituting 66,9 percent of total arrivals used the road as their mode of travel to get into Zimbabwe in the first quarter of 2024.

In comparison, 171 419 arrivals were recorded at road ports of entry in the first quarter of 2023.

The majority of arriving visitors by road came through Beitbridge (78 989) followed by Victoria Falls Road (51 475).

The Government completed the US$300 million Beitbridge Border Post modernisation project.

Beitbridge is one of the busiest border posts in Africa, which does not only connect Zimbabwe and South Africa but also serves as the transit point for the majority of north-south trade in southern Africa.

ZimBorders Consortium, working in partnership with the Government, transformed the Beitbridge Border Post into a world-class facility, which has completely changed the face of the border town. The massive infrastructure development initiative is a build, operate, and transfer (BOT) arrangement.

The number of visitors coming to Zimbabwe who used air for their travel during the first quarter of 2024 was 134 107 representing 33,1 percent of all arriving visitors.

The volume of visitors who arrived by air increased by 171,6 percent from 49 369 in the first quarter of 2023.

The majority of visitors who used air came through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (96 658) followed by Victoria Falls Airport (30 840) and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (6 102).-chronicle