Story by Memory Chamisa
ZIMBABWE is showcasing its diverse tourism offerings at the 46th edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain, as the country intensifies efforts to strengthen its position among the world’s leading travel destinations.
The exhibition comes on the back of growing international recognition, including Forbes magazine naming Zimbabwe the world’s best country to visit in 2025, citing attractions such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Mana Pools and the country’s renowned hospitality.
The Zimbabwean delegation at FITUR 2026 is led by the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbara Rwodzi, who said the country’s tourism strategy is increasingly centred on inclusive growth, sustainability and ensuring that communities directly benefit from tourism development.
“We are excited to be exhibiting at the 46th edition of FITUR, and Zimbabwe’s stand has been attracting strong interest due to our unique cultural diversity,” Minister Rwodzi said.
“We are leveraging our rich cultural heritage and gastronomy alongside destination marketing efforts to strengthen Zimbabwe’s global positioning.”
On the sidelines of the fair, Zimbabwe signed a Letter of Intent with the newly appointed UN Tourism Secretary-General, Ms Shaikha Alnuwais, confirming the country’s intention to host the 23rd Meeting of the UN Tourism Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS) in Victoria Falls from 27 to 28 April 2026.
Minister Rwodzi said the CTS meeting will be held back-to-back with the 3rd UN Tourism Women in Tourism Congress from 28 to 30 April 2026, marking Zimbabwe as the first country to host the committee under the leadership of the new Secretary-General.
“This development reflects strong confidence in Zimbabwe’s capacity to host high-level international tourism events,” she said.
The hosting of the CTS meeting is expected to reinforce Zimbabwe’s profile as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination while promoting sustainability and inclusive development within the tourism sector.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Ms Alnuwais also commended Zimbabwe’s Patron of Tourism and First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for championing gastronomy tourism as a key driver of cultural storytelling and destination competitiveness.
FITUR 2026 is being held amid a global rebound in tourism, with UN Tourism reporting more than 1.1 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide between January and September 2025.
