Story by Tinashe Mutazu
GOVERNMENT is working with tourism industry players to develop a new national strategy aimed at accelerating sector growth, improving competitiveness and supporting Zimbabwe’s drive towards upper middle-income status by 2030.
The roadmap is being crafted through the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry’s Strategic Consultative Meeting, which brought together stakeholders in Bulawayo on Thursday to contribute to the National Tourism Strategy for 2026-2030.
The consultations come as the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) tourism framework comes to an end and preparations begin for the next phase of the country’s tourism development agenda.
Tourism operators welcomed Government’s consultative approach, saying it gives industry players an opportunity to shape policies that directly affect their businesses.
“It is important for the Government to involve us players in the formulation of policies,” one tourism operator said.
Another participant said the approach had opened opportunities for young people in the sector.
“As youths, we want to thank the President for opening doors to everyone; we are now players in the tourism sector; we are now involved in gastronomy tourism,” the stakeholder said.
Industry representatives also stressed the importance of incorporating feedback from those who interact directly with visitors.
“The tourism players are the foot soldiers on the ground and interact with tourists; we get to find what it is that they want to be improved, and we need to take these concerns to policymakers,” another participant said.
Another stakeholder welcomed the consultations, saying they helped operators keep pace with developments in the sector.
“I am happy to be part of this meeting because, as players, there are developments that come and we will not know, so being part of this consultative meeting helps us to understand how we should operate,” the participant said.
Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe Southern Region Deputy Chairperson Beauty Bhulu said the engagement reflected Government’s commitment to inclusive policymaking.
“This is very important because that is the starting point where we start and share our issues and map the way forward; everyone has the platform to air their views,” she said.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Dr Takaruza Munyanyiwa said the consultations would shape the sector’s strategic direction over the next five years.
“We want to chart the way forward in terms of where the tourism sector is going. This is against the background of the expiration of the NDS1 tourism strategy and, of course, right now on the launch of the national tourism policy which will run from 2026 to 2030,” he said.
“We have gathered tourism stakeholders to make their input into the national tourism strategy.”
The meeting also noted recent infrastructure and connectivity improvements supporting tourism growth, including the launch of Air Zimbabwe’s direct Harare-London route, which is expected to increase tourist arrivals and boost foreign currency earnings.
