The falls have awed Westerners since explorer David Livingstone stumbled upon them in 1855. But few British, American and European tourists gathered at the falls this weekend. Many of those who did come were from southern Africa. Violence in recent days has claimed four lives. The outdoor crafts market is desolate.
Some vendors sleep next to their stalls, while others chat in the shade.
This weekend, that number dropped to a few dozen, the vendors said. Either step would be painful. Zimbabwe already has more than 50 percent unemployment and is heavily dependent on tourism for hard currency. Botswana and Zambia are also suffering because Victoria Falls vacations often include side trips to those nearby countries, Conn said. Though Conn worries about the long-term effects the crisis will have on the tourism industry here, McNamara remains optimistic that the damage is not yet irreparable.