Zimbabwe Secures Three UN Tourism Conferences

Zimbabwe is preparing to welcome an estimated 1,500 international delegates at the end of April after successfully bidding to host a series of high-level United Nations Tourism meetings, a move the government says cements the country’s status as a premier global destination.

Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi announced that the three events are scheduled to run from April 27 to May 1, 2026, at the Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls.

The program will include the 23rd UN Tourism Committee on Tourism and Sustainability (CTS), a sustainability-linked capacity-building workshop, and the 2nd UN Tourism Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa.

Cabinet has since received and approved an update on the preparations for the high-profile gatherings.

According to Minister Rwodzi, Zimbabwe’s successful bid and subsequent acceptance by the UN Tourism body is a significant endorsement of the nation’s appeal as a travel destination.

“The coming of the United Nations Tourism to Zimbabwe and the acceptance of the bid for Zimbabwe to host the three events is an endorsement of the country as a tourism destination,” she said.

This sentiment was echoed at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid in January, where Minister Rwodzi signed a Letter of Intent with UN Tourism Secretary-General Ms Shaikha Alnuwais, formally confirming the country’s commitment to host the CTS meeting.

The meetings will mark the first time Zimbabwe has hosted the committee under the new Secretary-General’s leadership.

The events are strategically positioned to strengthen Zimbabwe’s influence in global tourism governance. Crucially, they will also serve as a launch platform for preparations leading up to the International Year of Resilient and Sustainable Tourism in 2027.

Furthermore, the gatherings are expected to significantly enhance the country’s profile in the lucrative Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector.

The choice of Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, as the venue adds symbolic weight to the discussions on sustainability and conservation-driven development.