Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Frederick Shava has challenged universities and other tertiary institutions to use innovation and research to strengthen Zimbabwe’s tourism industry and contribute to national economic development.
Speaking at the Sanganai/Hlanganani Scholastic Tourism Conference in Masvingo, Shava said higher education institutions had a critical role to play in developing skills, technologies and tourism products capable of supporting the country’s development agenda.
He said universities should move beyond traditional academic programmes and develop practical projects that respond to the needs of industries such as tourism, conservation, hospitality and agro-processing.
Shava’s position comes as tertiary institutions increasingly pursue innovation and commercialisation initiatives aimed at generating income while solving economic and community challenges.
The minister has previously backed the development of the Bingwa Wildlife and Ecotourism Innovation and Industrialisation Park at Lupane State University, describing the project as having potential to strengthen tourism while supporting innovation and local enterprise development.
The Bingwa initiative includes wildlife, ecotourism, agro-industrial and innovation components, with government expecting it to contribute to conservation, skills development, value addition and employment creation.
Shava has also stressed the importance of ensuring that such projects become financially sustainable and generate income for institutions rather than remaining infrastructure projects without viable business models.
At the Masvingo conference, the minister said the growing convergence between education, technology and tourism presented an opportunity for Zimbabwe to develop a new generation of tourism professionals equipped with digital, entrepreneurial and innovation skills.
He said institutions of higher learning should strengthen collaboration with government, communities and the private sector so that research and innovation could be translated into products and services with practical economic value.
The approach is in line with the Government’s broader drive to link higher and tertiary education with industrialisation, innovation and national development.
Shava’s ministry has increasingly promoted innovation and industrialisation projects within universities, with institutions being encouraged to develop commercially viable initiatives that contribute to the national economy.
The minister said Zimbabwe’s tourism growth would require more than attractive destinations, stressing the importance of skills, technology, research, innovation and strong partnerships across the tourism value chain.
The conference forms part of the wider Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo programme, which seeks to strengthen tourism business linkages while exposing students and young people to opportunities within the sector.