HOSPITALITY group, African Sun Limited (ASL) is set to undertake multi-million-dollar refurbishments at its iconic Victoria Falls properties, including the Elephant Hills Resort and Conference Centre and the famed Victoria Falls Hotel.
These developments are part of the hotelier’s strategic plan to enhance its accommodation and restaurant offerings.
The renovations will be funded from the sale of the group’s non-strategic assets which the firm is offloading to focus on its key earning properties.
“The refurbishments align with the board’s decision and direction to optimise resource allocation and focus on high-value assets,” the group said in a statement yesterday.
“Additionally, African Sun is exploring partnerships with top international hospitality brands to manage and market these hotels post-renovation, further enhancing their appeal to international travellers.
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“The two projects are expected to boost local employment and business opportunities and contribute significantly to the tourism industry within Victoria Falls.”
The Elephant Hills refurbishment is due to commence in the third quarter of 2025, and concepts for the Victoria Falls Hotel are now at an advanced stage, ahead of being presented to the landlord, the Emerged Railways Properties (Pvt) Limited.
Responding to questions surrounding Meikles Limited’s (Meikles) wanting to dispose of their 50% interest in the Victoria Falls Hotel, with the other half held by ASL, the hospitality group’s Commercial executive Leon Rugara revealed the firm preferred Meikles remained.
Rugara, however, confirmed that while details surrounding discussions with Meikles were currently confidential and subject to the landlord’s consent and stock exchange approvals, ASL had a “compelling offer”.
The offer involves ASL buying Meikles’ 50% stake should the latter sell its stake.
In September 2024, Meikles scheduled a board meeting for October 1, the following month, to discuss a disposal transaction of its 50% shares in the Victoria Falls Hotel.
However, Meikles then board of directors, Rugare Chidembo, James Mushore, Stewart Cranswick and Simmon Hammond, fired the firm’s chief executive officer Malcolm Mycroft at that board meeting for considering a low offer for the Victoria Falls Hotel.
Consequently, Meikles chairman John Moxon moved to fire the board.
Moxon did this through his ownership of the majority shareholder in Meikles, Meikles Consolidated Holdings (Private) Limited, on the grounds that Mycroft’s firing had not been stated in notice of the October 1 board meeting.
However, Chidembo, Mushore, Cranswick and Hammond decided to resign their positions on December 18, 2024, the day an extraordinary general meeting had been called by Moxon to remove them.
Rugara declined to be drawn into Meikles internal affairs, emphasising that they expected nothing less than “a commitment to transparency and adherence to partnership agreements to ensure that all proceedings benefit the partnership and its partners”.
