Train Tourism Hinges On Reliable Infrastructure

A recent accident involving the luxury rail operator, Rovos Rail, has renewed attention to the state of Southern Africa’s rail infrastructure – and how essential it is to the viability of high-value train tourism in the region.  

On April 18, a Rovos Rail train en route to Victoria Falls was involved in a collision with a cargo train along the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) line, with 47 guests and 34 staff members on board. According to a Rovos Rail spokesperson, four people – all of whom were crew members – were treated for injuries.

The Zimbabwean government is currently investigating the cause of the collision and has committed to repairing the damaged railway infrastructure.

According to local Zimbabwean publications, the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, alongside Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube, visited the accident scene on April 19.

Rwodzi said the government was committed to repairing the rail infrastructure as it was an essential tourism offering that contributed to Zimbabwe’s relations with neighbouring countries and international tourists.

“The Rovos train had nationals from several countries, including Canada, the US, the UK, Denmark, Switzerland and South Africa. We stand in solidarity and sympathise with them, and His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa is doing everything possible to ensure the Rovos train is removed and returned to service as soon as possible,” said Rwodzi.

Rovos Rail confirmed that its operations remained uninterrupted. The two locomotives and four damaged coaches involved in the incident will be transported back to its Pretoria headquarters.

A blow to rail tourism

According to Suzanne Benadie, Sales and Marketing Director at Sense of Africa South Africa, the quality of rail infrastructure is crucial to luxury rail offerings. She said operational delays, often caused by infrastructure issues, eroded passenger confidence and disrupted travel itineraries.

“There is a definite impact following the accident, as we have had a number of our tour operator partners enquire about operations and safety. It is felt that the luxury train product is a high-cost item and, when delays, interruptions, or deviations occur, guests lose valuable experiences from the planned itinerary,” explained Benadie.

She said some tour operators were reconsidering train travel in the short and medium term due to concerns about reliability.

“There are limited areas in the world where luxury train travel operates, so this is a unique and niche product that adds great value to tourism. Guests choose the trains and their associated brands for the overall value, including accommodation, scenery, sightseeing, food and wine. There is a high expectation that these train products deliver a high-quality service also in terms of safety, punctuality and efficiency,” said Benadie.