Londile Moyo
Innocent Kurira [email protected]
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has taken a bold step towards unlocking the economic potential of sport following the launch of the inaugural Sports Economy Exhibition 2026, an initiative aimed at positioning the city as a hub for sports development and tourism.
The exhibition, held at the City Hall car park yesterday, brought together key stakeholders including Government officials, sports organisations, exhibitors and members of the private sector to explore how sport can be leveraged to drive economic growth.
In a keynote address read by Chamber Secretary, Sikhangele Zhou, Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube, said the exhibition forms part of the city’s broader vision to create a smart and sustainable urban economy by 2030.
“This event is being held as part of the City of Bulawayo’s strategy to create an enabling environment for economic development. Programmes such as the Sports Economy Exhibition showcase our commitment to creating an inclusive environment for various sectors to flourish,” said Dube.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, urging sporting codes to engage and share ideas on how sport can be used as a vehicle for development in the city.
“As a planning authority, we also seek to learn from stakeholders on how the city can create an environment that facilitates the growth of various sporting disciplines and how we can work together for a coordinated effort,” he said.
He acknowledged that while the city has invested in sporting infrastructure over the years, many facilities are now in need of refurbishment, calling on the private sector to partner council in modernising them.
“Most of our facilities are currently not in a very good state, and I am inviting the private sector to partner with us in modernising these and creating world-class standards for Bulawayo,” he read.
He noted that sport plays a critical role at the community level, adding that the city’s development plans prioritise access to sporting facilities as a means of nurturing talent at the grassroots level.
“We need to realise that sporting disciplines start at community level, where children can participate and showcase their talents. Sport has uplifted many from poverty and protected others from societal vices,” he said.
The exhibition came just days before the city hosts the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, with organisers drawing parallels between the two events as platforms for building competitive industries.
Adding a media perspective, Zimpapers Intake Editor Limukani Ncube highlighted the crucial role of storytelling in transforming sport into an economic driver, particularly in the context of tourism.
“Sport on its own is an event, but when captured, packaged and broadcast effectively, it becomes an economic engine,” said Ncube.
He explained that the media has the power to turn ordinary sporting activities into compelling experiences that attract both local and international audiences.
“Media transforms a football match into a tourism attraction, a local athlete into a global brand, and a stadium into a destination. If we are serious about sports tourism, then we must be equally serious about how we tell our stories,” he said.
Ncube added that modern sports tourism is driven by narratives rather than fixtures alone, with fans increasingly drawn to the identity and experience surrounding events.
“People do not travel for fixtures, they travel for experiences, narratives and identity,” he said.
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