The holiday season is a time for giving and sharing joy. This December, the Palm Hospitality Group (PHG) Foundation embraced this spirit through impactful corporate social responsibility initiatives that gave back to our community.
Paving the way for Holiday Travels
The most wonderful time of the year brings a welcome influx of visitors to Victoria Falls eager to experience our vibrant town. But after last year’s heavy rains wreaked havoc on local roads, we faced a different type of storm – how to make infrastructure repairs in time for the seasonal boom in tourism.
That’s when the Palm Hospitality Group rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their gravel and rocks, and got to work alongside the Ministry of Roads Department on priority repair operations. Our crew of 7 men worked away at the road before the Masuwe Bridge leading up to the airport route – rebuilding damaged mitre drains, clearing blocked culverts, and stabilizing eroded edges threatening the roadbeds.
12 additional helpers from the Ministry of Roads department arrived with a 7-tonne truck to assist! Six 20-tonne loads of gravel and 22 seven-tonne truckloads of rocks were used and strategically placed, to reinforce the most vulnerable stretches. The combined teams also added drainage features called “swales” to capture silt on steep inclines and slow down the speed of water drainage.
Alongside the Ministry of Roads Department, the Palm Hospitality Group Foundation continues to pave the way for holiday comforts and convenience in Victoria Falls.
Palm Hospitality Group Marches for Reforestation
While visitors flocked to Victoria Falls for the start of peak tourist season, our team laced up their boots on December 2nd for a very different type of adventure. The Palm Hospitality Group rallied our conservation-minded staff for the annual Friends of the Environment (FOTE) walkathon – a 10km march to raise awareness and support reforestation efforts across Zimbabwe.
As employees from local hotels and lodges kicked off from the town centre, crowds cheered seeing tourism operators shining a light on ecosystems. 90 participants donned matching t-shirts to emblemize a united front as environmental stewards.
Breathless but buzzing with inspiration, we finally reached St. Bakhita School to great fanfare. FOTE organizers then presented us shovels to commence officially planting over 100 saplings in honour of National Tree Planting Day. From managers to housekeepers, our team dug deep to root hope for the country’s 2026 goal of 500 million trees.
By getting sweaty for the cause, we grew community spirit while nurturing mother nature. Our efforts offered just a sprout of possibilities for restoring Zimbabwe’s delicate ecosystems. But days like the FOTE walkathon plant seeds of change in hearts and minds. As Palm Hospitality’s guests enjoy Victoria Falls holidays, they can rest easier knowing we march alongside advocates like Friends of the Environment. Because true hospitality means caring for both the people and the lands that welcome us.
The PHG Foundation
Formed in 2022, the PHG Foundation combines Ilala Lodge Hotel‘s community projects with the passionate staff of Palm River Hotel. Such community efforts are part of the PHG Foundation’s broader mission to aid the local Victoria Falls community.
Other PHG Foundation initiatives include monthly litter clean-ups throughout designated sections of the town centre, recycling programmes, wildlife protection, cultural heritage preservation, and local fundraisers.
The group is dedicated to sustainable tourism and minimising environmental impact. Their efforts endeavour to make Victoria Falls a better place to live and visit for all!
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