BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Zimbabwe is taking its tourism brand to the global stage through a proposed strategic media partnership with CNN, as the country steps up efforts to position itself as a leading tourism and investment destination.
The initiative is part of Government’s broader drive to strengthen the Zimbabwe brand and increase the country’s visibility in international markets under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
The engagement was held on the sidelines of the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, where Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Chief Executive Officer Dr George Manyaya met senior CNN executives.
The CNN team included Vice President of CNN International Phil Wilson, CNN Sales Director Zara Driss and Regional Representative for Africa and Central Asia Imran Ahmad.
The Ministry said the engagement was aimed at exploring ways of using CNN’s global reach to amplify Zimbabwe’s tourism story and connect the destination with new tourists, markets and investors.
“Zimbabwe is strategically turning global recognition into greater destination visibility, market reach and tourism growth,” read a statement from the Ministry.
The proposed partnership will also seek to showcase Zimbabwe as an investment destination by highlighting opportunities across the tourism value chain.
With CNN reaching a large international audience, the initiative is expected to give Zimbabwe a platform to tell its tourism story to potential visitors and investors in key overseas markets.
The move comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s tourism profile is gaining international recognition.
Forbes Magazine recognised Zimbabwe as the Number One Must-Visit Destination for 2025, while the United States has emerged as Zimbabwe’s leading overseas source market.
Tourist arrivals from the US increased from 18 756 in 2021 to 109 959 in 2025.
The Ministry said the key challenge was now to convert the international recognition into increased tourist arrivals, longer stays, higher tourism spending and investment.
Zimbabwe’s tourism offering includes its natural wonders, wildlife, heritage, culture, gastronomy and adventure tourism.
The CNN initiative is therefore being viewed as an opportunity to package these attractions into a strong Zimbabwean tourism brand and take the country’s story to a wider global audience.
“Zimbabwe has the story,” added the statement.
The latest initiative is part of Government’s efforts to position tourism as a key contributor to economic growth while strengthening Zimbabwe’s brand in international markets.
Through increased global visibility, Zimbabwe is seeking to attract more tourists and investors while ensuring that the country’s diverse tourism products receive greater exposure beyond traditional markets.
