The Victoria Falls Hotel : an "out of Africa Experience"?

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to give a historical overview of the Victoria Falls Hotel within the context of tourism. It looks particularly at how this iconic Hotel has stood the test of time by surviving both the colonial and post-colonial eras which Zimbabwe has endured. The different types of markets which the Hotel had attracted in history and the markets the Hotel attracts today is a fascinating factor which the research sets out to analyse. A comparison is made with other iconic twentieth century hotels which today, much like the VFH, continue to thrive as they did in their heyday. It looks at trends which the hotels have followed to stay relevant as well as other attributes that can be credited as factors that have contributed to the longevity of hotels such as the VHF. The Hotel’s continued success in the future will be considered in the research in terms of how this colonial legacy will continue to sustain itself in a post-colonial and post- modern environment.