• Zimbabwe recorded an increase of 52.3 percent in both domestic and international flights in 2022.

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) stated on Monday that Zimbabwe recorded an increase of 52.3 percent in the number of both domestic and international flights in 2022 compared to the previous year, saying that the tourism sector continues to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Between 2018 and 2022, ZIMSTAT transport stats reported that the number of flights increased to 50,640, up from 33,245 flights registered in 2021. The national agency said, “For the period 2018 to 2022, the year 2020 recorded the lowest number of both domestic (8,013) and international flights (9,005)”.

ZIMSTAT also noted that the number of air transport passengers recovered in 2021 after consistently declining from 2018 to 2020, with the country’s main airport, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare the country’s capital recording a 97.3 percent increase in air passengers in 2022 compared to 2021.

The country’s second-largest airport Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in the city of Bulawayo recorded an increase of 82.6 percent in the number of passengers in 2022 compared to the previous year.

According to the national agency, international air passengers accounted for more than 80 percent of the total travelers during the period 2018 to 2022.