Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Bulawayo City Council is stepping up efforts to transform its tourism potential into investment, employment and business opportunities, with the local authority leveraging its participation at the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo to attract private capital into the hospitality industry and tourism value chain.
Bulawayo is positioning itself as Zimbabwe’s cultural and tourism capital, targeting investment in hotels, conference facilities, restaurants, entertainment, retail, leisure and heritage tourism as part of a broader strategy to stimulate local economic development.
Through its economic development unit’s marketing and investment promotion department, the local authority participated in the tourism showcase under the theme, “City of Kings – The Cultural
and Tourism Capital of Zimbabwe.”
The initiative reflects growing recognition of tourism as an important economic sector capable of generating employment, supporting small businesses, increasing visitor spending and creating new opportunities for private sector investment.
Beyond showcasing the city’s attractions, the exhibition provided a platform to engage tourism operators, investors, travel agencies, accommodation providers and other industry players to establish business linkages and explore potential partnerships.
The council’s participation also showcased investment opportunities across several tourism-related industries, including hotels and lodges, conference and events facilities, restaurants, shopping and retail developments, recreational facilities, cultural and heritage tourism, creative industries and tourism transport services.
These investments could broaden Bulawayo’s economic base while creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs and service providers to benefit from increased tourism activity.
According to the latest council report, the local authority’s participation increased Bulawayo’s visibility among tourism stakeholders and potential visitors while reinforcing its distinctive cultural, tourism and economic identity.
“The city’s participation increased the visibility of Bulawayo among tourism stakeholders and potential visitors and provided a platform to communicate the city’s distinctive cultural, tourism and economic attributes.
It reinforced the ‘City of Kings, The Cultural and Tourism Capital of Zimbabwe’ brand, highlighting the importance of consistently applying this identity across exhibitions, promotional materials, digital platforms and stakeholder engagements,” the report said.
The economic benefits of tourism extend beyond accommodation establishments, with increased visitor numbers potentially stimulating demand for restaurants, transport operators, retailers, entertainment facilities, conference venues and other supporting services.
This creates opportunities for small and medium enterprises to participate in the tourism value chain through the supply of food, crafts, transport, entertainment and other services.
“The Expo also demonstrated how destination marketing can complement the city’s investment promotion mandate, since tourism activity can generate demand for accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, retail, transport, conference facilities and other services, creating opportunities for private sector investment and enterprise development,” the City said.
Bulawayo also sees opportunities to develop integrated tourism packages linking its cultural and historical attractions with accommodation, shopping, food, entertainment and tourism products across the wider Matabeleland region.
Such an approach could encourage visitors to extend their stays, increase spending within the local economy and strengthen business opportunities for operators across the region. However, the city acknowledges that translating destination marketing into measurable economic returns requires sustained promotional activities, stronger stakeholder coordination and deliberate investment mobilisation.
It noted that the benefits of exposure from the expo had not yet been quantified in terms of investor leads, commercial commitments, visitor conversion or financial returns, underscoring the need for stronger monitoring of future engagements.
“The source report did not quantify investor leads, commercial commitments, visitor conversion or financial returns; future reports should therefore capture measurable indicators where possible, including enquiries received, follow-up meetings held, partnerships initiated and investment leads generated.”
The city also identified the need to improve tourism marketing materials and package the various products offered by different stakeholders into a more unified destination proposition.
“The city’s ability to sustain effective destination marketing was constrained by the financial and human resources required to participate in relevant tourism platforms and maintain continuous promotional campaigns.”
To consolidate the gains, the economic development unit is proposing a structured destination marketing and investment promotion programme focusing on destination branding, tourism investment promotion and business development.
“The first was destination marketing, through which Bulawayo would be positioned as a leading cultural, tourism, business and events destination.”
The second pillar will involve identifying, packaging and actively marketing tourism-related investment opportunities, while the third seeks to facilitate linkages between tourism businesses, investors, visitors and other stakeholders.
The city also proposes continued participation in appropriate national, regional, and international tourism exhibitions, alongside stronger digital marketing and private-sector partnerships.
The city’s ultimate objective is to move beyond destination visibility and turn its cultural heritage, infrastructure and regional economic advantages into bankable investment opportunities, sustainable businesses and jobs.
