President Emmerson D Mnangagwa has commended Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi for spearheading initiatives that are expanding Zimbabwe’s tourism footprint and generating economic opportunities across provinces.
Speaking at the official opening of the 19th Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo in Masvingo on Wednesday, President Mnangagwa praised the decentralisation of the premier tourism showcase and the Government’s whole-of-government approach towards developing the sector.
The President said tourism investments were producing tangible socio-economic benefits through employment creation, empowerment and infrastructure development.
“The socio-economic dividends accruing from tourism investments are creating empowerment and employment opportunities, while also enhancing quality infrastructure with regard to roads, accommodation and other social services,” Mnangagwa said.
He specifically commended Minister Rwodzi for placing tourism development at the centre of the country’s economic transformation agenda.
The President said the decision to take Sanganai beyond its traditional base was helping expose international tourism buyers to Zimbabwe’s diverse destinations and products.
He said the hosting of the expo in Masvingo had demonstrated the value of decentralising major tourism events, while the development of the Gymkhana Events and Conference Centre had transformed the facility into a modern hub for tourism, business, events and conferencing.
“These developments were made possible through collaborative synergies under the whole-of-government and society approach towards shared tourism goals,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also urged international buyers and exhibitors attending the expo to venture beyond the exhibition venue and experience Zimbabwe’s tourism attractions first-hand.
He encouraged visitors to explore the country’s landscapes, wildlife, gastronomy and cultural heritage, while highlighting the warmth and hospitality of Zimbabweans as one of the country’s major tourism assets.
“Zimbabwe is a land of many opportunities. It is a great place to visit, work and live,” he said.
The President further challenged tourism operators to use Sanganai as a springboard for sustained growth by developing innovative tourism products and experiences.
He singled out Masvingo and other provinces for greater investment in tourism products linked to heritage, wildlife and culture.
President Mnangagwa called for the development of an integrated tourism corridor linking northern tourism and heritage sites, liberation war sites and conservancies in the Save Valley, extending towards Chikombedzi and community-led cultural initiatives such as the Budula Festival and Great Limpopo Cultural Trade Fair.
He said such initiatives could deepen partnerships, strengthen people-to-people exchanges and promote regional and continental integration.
The President also challenged provinces and districts to contribute to their respective economic growth targets by unlocking their tourism competitiveness.
His remarks come as Masvingo hosts international tourism buyers and exhibitors as part of efforts to broaden Zimbabwe’s tourism markets and demonstrate that the country offers far more than its traditional flagship destination, Victoria Falls.
The expo is being positioned as a platform for investment, business linkages and the development of new tourism products capable of spreading tourism benefits to communities across Zimbabwe.
