Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe recently in Mutare, Zimpapers Senior Writer
THE City of Bulawayo is embarking on an ambitious initiative to transform the historic Inxwala Sites into a vibrant cultural centre, aiming to elevate its tourism profile and diversify revenue streams.
This strategic move is part of a broader effort to harness the city’s rich cultural and historical assets.
To bring the project to life, the city is actively seeking partnerships with both local and international investors. The envisioned transformation is expected to have far-reaching positive impacts on tourism and urban development.
Speaking to Zimpapers at the recently concluded Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo in Mutare, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) Economic Development Officer, Mr Kholisani Moyo, emphasised the city’s commitment to leveraging its untapped cultural heritage.
“The city is working on a research, a survey using GIS to identify the historic sites and lodges, which are dotted around Bulawayo,” said Mr Moyo.
Mr Moyo revealed that Bulawayo is embracing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to document and promote its tourism offerings. He highlighted the development of a mobile application designed to enhance visitor experience:
“We have also come up with an application that when one visits Bulawayo — for instance, you are at Holiday Inn — the application can show and find a place of interest such as museums, Centenary Park or even the Joshua Nkomo Statue.”
“We have already mapped all these historical sites to make it easy for our visitors to curate their experiences around Bulawayo.”
In addition to digital innovation, the city is aligning its town planning efforts to support tourism infrastructure: “We are working on local subject plans to make sure we avail suitable sites for hotels and lodges around the city.”
“Those who want to invest in tourism in Bulawayo will know that we have sites that we are developing. Some of the historic sites we are developing such as Inxwala Site — we will be looking for investors to transform it into a centre for cultural activities.”
Bulawayo used the tourism expo to spotlight its historical narrative and cultural wealth, Moyo noted: “Our theme was looking at the history of Bulawayo, where we are coming from. We wanted to show that as Bulawayo we have a lot of opportunities where we can build the story around our rich culture and leverage heritage to promote tourism in the city.”
He cited key sites under consideration for development, including the Inxwala Site, The Hanging Tree and the Joshua Nkomo Statue.
This cultural revitalisation aligns with the Urban Heritage Corridor launched by President Mnangagwa in June 2021. The initiative aims to spotlight Bulawayo’s cultural, artistic and historical gems, encouraging both walking and driving tours across urban and rural heritage sites.
The transformation of the Inxwala Sites stands as a cornerstone of Bulawayo’s vision to become a leading cultural tourism destination in Zimbabwe and beyond.
Bongani Ndlovu