Rwodzi: Sports Tourism Key to Unlocking Zimbabwe’s Tourism Potential

MASVINGO, Zimbabwe — Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi has highlighted the growing importance of sports tourism in driving economic transformation, creating employment and stimulating development across Zimbabwe.

Minister Rwodzi was speaking at the Sanganai/Hlanganani Sports Tourism Carnival at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo, where she outlined Government’s strategy to use sport as a platform for promoting domestic tourism, attracting visitors and expanding opportunities across the tourism value chain.

The Sports Tourism Carnival forms part of the activities surrounding the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo, which is being hosted in Masvingo this year.

Rwodzi said the decision to take major national tourism activities beyond traditional tourism centres such as Harare and Victoria Falls was consistent with Government’s commitment to inclusive regional development under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and the country’s Vision 2030 agenda.

The carnival brings together several sporting disciplines, including football, netball, basketball, Volleyball and marathons, providing a platform to demonstrate how sporting events can stimulate tourism and local economic activity.

Rwodzi said sports tourism has the potential to increase domestic travel while attracting international visitors who follow sporting events.

The initiative also creates opportunities for communities and businesses involved in accommodation, transport, catering, entertainment, tour operations and other tourism-related services.

The hosting of Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe in Masvingo also places the province’s rich cultural heritage at the centre of Zimbabwe’s tourism promotion strategy.

The iconic Great Zimbabwe Monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provides a powerful heritage anchor for the province and offers opportunities to combine cultural tourism with other tourism products.

The approach is expected to strengthen Masvingo’s position as a destination while encouraging visitors attending the expo and sporting activities to explore attractions across the province.

The influx of international buyers, tourism operators, regional delegates and visitors associated with Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe is expected to generate increased demand for local businesses.

Hotels and lodges, restaurants, transport operators, tour companies, cultural practitioners and craft producers are among those positioned to benefit from the increased economic activity.

The event therefore provides an important opportunity to connect international tourism markets with local enterprises and communities.

Preparations for hosting the major tourism showcase have also been accompanied by infrastructure improvements in Masvingo, including work on Masvingo Airport, municipal roads and event venues.

The improvements are expected to enhance the city’s capacity to host major national and international events while improving the overall visitor experience.

The decision to stage Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe activities in Masvingo demonstrates the Government’s intention to spread tourism opportunities across the country.

For Masvingo, the combination of heritage tourism, sports and business presents an opportunity to position the province as a major tourism and events destination.

The Sports Tourism Carnival at Mucheke Stadium provided a practical demonstration of this approach, bringing together sport, tourism, entertainment and economic activity under one platform.

As Zimbabwe seeks to expand its tourism economy, Government is increasingly looking at sports and major events as vehicles for increasing visitor numbers, stimulating domestic travel and ensuring that tourism benefits are spread across different regions of the country.