The
statistics
show
both
domestic
and
international
flights
fell
in
February
before
recovering
in
March.
International
flights
rose
from
2 200
in
February
to
2 522
in
March,
while
domestic
flights
increased
from
1 221
to
1 762
over
the
same
period.
The
drop
in
flight
activity
saw
total
passenger
numbers
fall
19,5%,
from
622 727
in
the
last
quarter
of
2024
to
501 275
in
the
first
three
months
of
2025.
All
airports
reported
reductions
in
flight
volumes.
Air
cargo
traffic
also
took
a
hit,
with
freight
volumes
down
38,8%
to
2 968
tonnes
from
4 851
tonnes
in
the
previous
quarter.
Inbound
freight
plunged
58,1%,
while
outbound
freight
dropped
17,3%.
ZimStat
also
reported
a
35,9%
fall
in
goods
transported
by
rail.
Agricultural
freight
volumes
fell
steeply
by
86,7%,
industrial
sector
freight
dropped
1,7%,
and
energy
and
mining
sector
volumes
decreased
5,8%.
Rail
accidents
fell
by
half,
from
120
in
the
fourth
quarter
of
2024
to
58
in
early
2025,
but
mainline
accidents
rose
sharply
by
66,7%,
from
21
to
35.
Finance,
Economic
Development
and
Investment
Promotion
Minister
Professor
Mthuli
Ncube
has
since
downgraded
Zimbabwe’s
2025
tourism
growth
forecast
to
2,9%,
down
from
the
initial
4,3%,
citing
poor
performance
in
late
2024
and
early
2025.
International
tourist
arrivals
fell
9%
to
336 369
in
the
first
quarter
of
2025
compared
to
the
same
period
last
year,
while
average
hotel
room
occupancy
declined
by
2%.
All
major
tourist
regions
recorded
drops
in
occupancy
except
Bulawayo,
Midlands,
and
Harare.
“This
trend
could
slow
our
recovery
to
pre-Covid
arrival
levels
of
2
million
visitors
a
year,”
Ncube
said
while
presenting
the
2025
Mid-Term
Budget
and
Economic
Review
on
Thursday.