Abel Ndooka
Leonard Ncube
Bulawayo Bureau
WITH the year 2024 drawing to a close tomorrow, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi has declared the year a resounding success for the sector.
Key achievements include the introduction of a new policy framework and the successful hosting of major events, marking significant progress for the industry.
Speaking in Victoria Falls, where she led a meet-and-greet campaign by the ministry and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Minister Rwodzi said tourism outperformed itself this year, becoming the number one contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the first nine months of the year.
Tourism contributed 12 percent to the GDP and surpassed agriculture and mining in the first nine months, which were affected by climate change and falling global prices.
Minister Rwodzi noted that the sector’s efforts throughout the year were appreciated, as evidenced by people choosing Zimbabwe, and Victoria Falls in particular, as a destination.
“We have surpassed our expectations for 2024, where we have seen that our tourism policy sailed through, and we are happy about it as Cabinet accepted it.
“It means 2025 going forward, there will be implementation, and that implementation must have an impact on arrivals and investments as well as the regulatory front,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said one of the major achievements this year was hosting the inaugural United Nations Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Victoria Falls in July.
The country also scored a first in securing the rights to host the UN Tourism Gastronomy School to be built in Victoria Falls, making the country a world destination of choice.
She credited Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism for this success.
“We also clinched a deal to have the first school of gastronomy hosted here. MICE tourism is growing big in the country, and I believe it’s because we are marketing our country.
“It’s not easy to advertise your tourism, but if you bring in UN Tourism, it’s something that boosts confidence across the world. It shows that people love Zimbabwe; they have been waiting to hear what’s good about Zimbabwe,” she said.
The minister commended President Mnangagwa’s Policy of Engagement and Re-engagement, as well as the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” approach, for contributing to tourism growth.
The Government introduced the Tourism Growth and Recovery Strategy in 2020 to support the sector back to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Minister Rwodzi said rigorous marketing was key to the heritage tourism strategy.
“Marketing is what we are going to be doing in 2025 about the destination. The bigger part of it is marketing; we are going to increase marketing as we go into 2025. Those coming for MICE are reporting back and coming back with their families. Regardless of sanctions and how we are perceived by people around the world, now they know that it’s comfortable to come to Zimbabwe.
“We have done quite well as we are going above everything. Over the festive season, we are expecting numbers to rise to above 2 million from the Diaspora and more than 220 000 to be coming in across the ports. Tourism has contributed 12 percent to the Gross Domestic Product for the first nine months of the year, and it has been sitting at number one,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi said Zimbabwe was waking up, showing its beauty, peace, and hospitality.
During the meet-and-greet, which was spread across the country, visitors were handed the national fabric as a sign of hospitality and marketing strategy.
The Minister said the programme has provided real statistics and insight into tourism in the country.
leeroy mupariri
Online Reporter
