News / Localby Staff reporterA heated dispute has erupted over the pace of development in Victoria Falls, with environmental activists warning that the resort town's boom is threatening the future of Zimbabwe's most famous natural wonder.The Victoria Falls was declared a World Heritage Site in 1989, with UNESCO requiring parts of the site to be preserved "intact for future generations." But campaigners under the Keep Vic Falls Wild initiative say this pledge is being broken as new hotels, lodges, and restaurants spring up across the town. Minor Hotels is preparing to launch the Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel, a sister to Zambia's Royal Livingstone.Despite the objections, local authorities remain adamant that expansion is unavoidable. "Our doctors should be able to move from one point to another," Victoria Falls mayor Jacob Mafume recently said of similar council initiatives, underscoring the town's need for infrastructure to support growth.But critics insist that Victoria Falls' appeal lies in its wildness — something they fear will be lost if unchecked development continues. The clash between conservation and commerce is now threatening to split Zimbabwe's premier tourist destination, leaving the future of the Falls caught between preservation and profit.