High taxes! Shooting ourselves in the foot

📅 Published: August 19, 2025

📰 Source: theindependent

Curated by AllZimNews.com

This week, a debate on X highlighted the significant taxes imposed by the Zimbabwean government on flights.

For example, a short flight from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls — a journey of less than an hour — has a base fare of US$93.

However, taxes pile up an additional US$28,95, a staggering 31% increase.

The breakdown includes a passenger service charge of US$10, an aviation infrastructure development levy of US$5, and Value Added Tax of US$13,95, pushing the total one way fare to US$121,95.

For a return ticket, passengers on the route pay US$243,90, with taxes alone contributing nearly US$60 to the total cost.

These figures show that taxes account for 24% of the total fare, highlighting how government-imposed charges are a primary driver of high ticket prices in Zimbabwe.

Such excessive levies risk discouraging travel and tourism — sectors vital for economic recovery.

Compared to regional benchmarks, Zimbabwe’s taxation policy appears particularly punitive.

It is a major hurdle to tourism growth.

Data shows the average cost for an international departure across African airports is just US$64 — a stark contrast to the US$29 in taxes levied on a brief domestic flight in Zimbabwe.

This disparity raises serious questions about the rationale behind these charges.

While taxes are essential for infrastructure development, their current scale seems disproportionate, especially for domestic routes.