Story by Tichaona Kurewa
ZIMBABWE’s ongoing border modernisation programme is delivering measurable results, with traveller traffic rising by over 14 percent during the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year.
Statistics from the Department of Immigration show that total traveller movement reached 2.1 million between January and March 2025. This figure includes 1.1 million entries and one million exits, a notable increase from 1.9 million in the same quarter in 2024, when 800 000 entries and one million exits were recorded.
Southern border posts, including Beitbridge, handled the highest traffic volume, with a combined total of over 900 000 travellers.
These were followed by Western border posts such as Victoria Falls, which processed over 250 000 travellers.
The Harare region, covering Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and Charles Prince Airport, recorded over 200 000 travellers.
“During the first quarter, entries through the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport were largely for business purposes, while entries in the North-Western Region were mostly tourists visiting the Victoria Falls area,” North-Western Region’s Regional Immigration Officer, Mr Bayton Madawo noted.
The Department projects that total traveller movements will reach approximately 4.5 million by the end of the first half of the year.
In 2023, the Department launched the National Migration Policy as part of efforts to achieve Vision 2030.
Since its rollout, the policy has led to the establishment of modern border infrastructure and the introduction of the Online Border Management System.
