The History of Tourism in Victoria Falls

After Dr. David Livingstone discovered and named Victoria Falls, the region became an important tourist and industrial destination. Around 1900, the Europeans began to settle in the area. Prior to 1905, the river was passable from the falls above. Using a canoe, or a barge, visitors would pull themselves across with a steel cable. 

This all changed with the Cape Cairo railway, which led to the creation of the first bridge over the river. A hotel opened in 1904, making Victoria Falls one of the most popular destinations during the British colonial rule of Zambia. 

During the 60s, Northern Rhodesia attempted to gain independence for itself. Rhodesia tried to declare independence, but the UK and the UN would not recognize the move. This caused a dispute that brought tourism numbers down. The region of Zambia suffered from military incursions, which caused them to restrict some of the access points to the Falls. 

Peace was restored during the 1980s, and tourism numbers rose once again. New activities like whitewater rafting, bungee jumping and horseback riding became popular too. 

Towards the end of the 90s, the Falls were accommodating almost 300,000 visitors a year. Most of those visitors are locals who take a short bus ride to the site from Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Devil’s Pool is one of the main draws to the Falls today, where death-defying swimmers venture to the edge of Victoria Falls for a swim in a pool that is only safe for two to three months out of the year.