Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi and Secretary General for the UN Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili (both in the middle) flanked by Zimbabwe tourism officials and UN Tourism Officials
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Poor air connectivity is a critical policy issue in Africa which Governments must address as a matter of urgency, as tourism is fast becoming the biggest contributor to many countries’s gross domestic products (Gross Domestic Products).
The call was made by Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi, at the recently held 2nd UN Tourism Summit For Africa and Americas in Livingstone, Zambia.
The Summit ran under the theme “Advancing Resilient Tourism through Connectivity, Investment and Skilled Workforce Development.”
Minister Rwodzi highlighted that Zimbabwe’s Government has made notable progress in improving air connectivity and this includes the refurbishment and expansion of three major international airports — Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, and Victoria Falls — to meet international standards.
She added that Victoria Falls Airport, in particular, has emerged as the largest and a key aviation hub within the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) region allowing large airplanes to land with tourists for Zimbabwe and the other KAZA countries.
“Poor air connectivity in Africa is a critical policy issue that African Governments must address as a matter of urgency as Tourism is the upcoming industry and to be the biggest contributor to many African countries GDPs given the climate change crisis that is affecting Agriculture and fluctuating global prices of metals in the Mining sector.
“Let’s have deliberate and strategic investments by African governments in national airlines to prioritize and strengthen intra-African connectivity,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She further highlighted Zimbabwe’s achievements in tourism development, with a strong emphasis on industry skills training, investment in tourism infrastructure — particularly in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) facilities — improved connectivity, and the implementation of more flexible visa regimes.
Minister Rwodzi said these efforts are central to building a resilient and sustainable tourism sector across Africa and the Americas.
She however pointed out Zimbabwe’s cautious approach to fully liberalizing its visa policy, emphasizing the importance of reciprocity in visa arrangements.
And she also called for stronger, and beneficial partnerships between governments and tourism industry players to drive growth and development in the sector.
The 2nd UN Summit for Africa and Americas builds on the success of the inaugural rvent held in Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic in October 2024 and was attended by Tourism Ministers from across Africa and the Americas, Government Officials, industry leaders and tourism experts.
The High-Level Summit stressed the need for tourism resilience building, attracting investment and advancing education and skills in the tourism sector.
It also aims to enhance regional integration, drive economic growth in both continents and create a more inclusive tourism including the involvement of local communities, farmers and women and the youth in the tourism value chain.
On the side-lines of the Summit, Minister Rwodzi also held a bilateral meeting with the UN Tourism Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, to discuss areas of mutual interest.
A key highlight of their engagement was a progress update on the establishment of the African International Academy for Culinary Arts, a collaborative initiative between Zimbabwe and UN Tourism, being championed by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.
