Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi flanked by Permanent Secretary in her Ministry Dr Takaruza Munyanyiwa (left) and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr George Manyaya
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo is set to place inclusivity at the centre of Zimbabwe’s development agenda when the premier tourism event is held in Masvingo from September 9 to 12.
The Expo, which will be hosted at the Gymkhana Events and Conference Centre, is part of Government’s broader strategy to decentralise tourism development and ensure that communities, businesses and destinations outside the country’s traditional tourism centres benefit from the sector.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, said taking Sanganai to Masvingo, demonstrated Government’s commitment to spreading tourism opportunities across the country in line with the national Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2.
She said this on Wednesday (September 2), at the launch of the Tourism Month (September) 2026 and Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo in Harare.
“We are moving forward with our narrative of going beyond our traditional centres, such as Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Harare, and bringing tourism directly to the provinces,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She added that the hosting of the Expo in Masvingo marked an important step in the country’s devolved approach to tourism development.
“We want to emphasise how important Masvingo is for us as a country. The hosting of the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo represents an important milestone in our devolved approach to tourism development.”
Minister Rwodzi said Masvingo was selected to host the event against the backdrop of its rich historical, cultural and natural tourism assets, most notably the Great Zimbabwe Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And she said the Expo would provide an opportunity to expose Masvingo’s tourism potential to international markets while creating opportunities for local communities and businesses to participate more meaningfully in the tourism economy.
“Through Sanganai Dzimbahwe, we will systematically profile Masvingo’s tourism potential for trade, investment and destination development, while creating opportunities for the local communities and enterprises in Masvingo Province to participate more meaningfully in the tourism value chain.”
The Minister said inclusivity was central to the Government’s vision for the tourism sector, which is expected to contribute to economic transformation, employment creation, investment mobilisation and community empowerment.
“We must build a globally competitive, inclusive and sustainable tourism economy that creates more opportunities for our people, stimulates enterprise across all provinces, attracts domestic as well as international investment, strengthens local communities and generates value throughout the economy.
“Tourism must become a stronger engine for inclusive growth, ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.”
She added that after the success of the Tourism Expo, they are expectant that the people of Masvingo would have had “benefits.”
“We have a number of projects that we need to be helping in putting in place in Masvingo,” added the Minister.
Minister Rwodzi reiterated that the Expo remains Zimbabwe’s premier tourism trade platform, providing a strategic marketplace where tourism businesses showcase their products, access international markets, build partnerships, generate business leads and explore investment opportunities.
