A beach handball tournament has brought new life to a resort on the shores of Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.
Despite its incredible potential as a world-class tourist destination, the village of Binga has often been overlooked. Now, sports tourism is drawing new visitors to the area. On the weekend of November 2021, Zimbabwe’s first-ever beach handball tournament was held in Binga at the country’s only sandy beach, on the shore of the Zambezi River.
Morgen Dube, a veteran sports administrator, believes that with investment, Binga and Victoria Falls could both see incredible economic benefits from sports tourism. “Victoria Falls is a world-acclaimed tourism destination but this has not translated into sport,” Dube said.
With travel restrictions limiting international tourism during covid shutdowns, the industry has been focused on attracting domestic visitors. During last weekend’s beach handball tournament, Binga was packed with sportspeople who provided a much-needed economic boost for the area’s hotels and restaurants.
Residents and local business owners have pressured authorities in the past to invest in infrastructure that would better support a sports tourism industry, beginning with the 2010 World Cup in neighboring South Africa. Teams participating in the tournament were unable to find accommodation in Victoria Falls, which would have provided considerable economic benefit to the area.
Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the sports tourism industry in Binga has incredible potential. “I am very keen to see people use the river more through leisure on the beach, boating, and other activities. The boating industry can tap into these opportunities. All we need is to see how best we can draw people to both beaches and sports can be one of them,” said Ndlovu.
Binga Rural District Council chief executive, Joshua Muzamba, said there are currently efforts being made to develop and commercialize the village’s sandy beach and cash in on the rising popularity of beach handball.
