Story by Tichaona Kurewa
FOREIGN students from the Zimbabwe National Defence University (ZNDU) who are on a countrywide study tour have described Zimbabwe as a must-visit destination, echoing Forbes Magazine’s recent endorsement of the country as a top place to visit in 2025.
Beyond the classroom lessons, the study tour has become a powerful marketing tool for Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
The students have expressed admiration for the country’s development and hospitality, a refreshing contrast to the negative perceptions often seen abroad.
“It has been an amazing experience to be in Zimbabwe. I really did not expect to see so much. Zimbabwe is doing extremely well, and there is so much for the world to see, especially within the African continent. More should be done to project the tourism sector,” a student from Nigeria, Navy Captain Edward Iyaji said.
“What we hear out there is not what is happening here. Zimbabwe has so much to offer. It is a beacon in Africa and very welcoming; you feel at home here. It was announced by Forbes Magazine that Zimbabwe is a country to be visited in 2025 and they were right to say that,” another from Namibia, Navy Captain Paulinus Nuuyoma echoed.
The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe’s acting president, Ms Emmah Kativu commended the study tour for its role in promoting domestic and international tourism.
“It is an opportunity to promote both international and domestic tourism. When students return home, they share their experiences with families, encouraging more people to visit and explore. It is also a chance for local property owners to showcase what Zimbabwe has to offer.”
The tour, which brought together students from across Africa, is part of the university’s curriculum under the theme”: “Surviving in an Unstable Macro-Economic Environment.”
“We touch a lot of areas, farming, mining, traditional chiefs, local authorities, museums and monuments, because all those form part of what Zimbabwe is and they form part of national security. Tourism is also part of that economic activity,” the institution’s Senior Directing Staff, Brigadier General Lindiwe Ngwenya noted.
The study tour has not only facilitated an academic exchange but also created a network of international ambassadors, people who will carry positive stories about Zimbabwe back to their countries.
