Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in Masvingo
DEPUTY Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Tongai Mnangagwa, has urged Air Zimbabwe to maintain its newly introduced Harare-Masvingo flight beyond the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo, saying sustained air connectivity is critical to unlocking the province’s tourism and investment potential.
Speaking at the inaugural CEO Roundtable, a precursor to the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo, Deputy Minister Mnangagwa made a passionate appeal to the national airline to retain the route after the tourism showcase.
“We appeal to Air Zimbabwe not to discontinue this route after Sanganai. We need this connectivity to continue driving tourism and business in Masvingo,” he said.
The call comes against the backdrop of a significant increase in air traffic into Masvingo ahead of the tourism showcase, with 115 international buyers touching down at Masvingo Airport over the weekend on three separate flights.
The arrivals underscored the growing importance of air connectivity in positioning Masvingo as an accessible tourism and business destination, while demonstrating the potential economic benefits that can be unlocked through regular flights into the province.
The Harare-Masvingo service was introduced ahead of Sanganai to improve accessibility to the host city and facilitating the movement of exhibitors, international buyers, tourism operators and other delegates attending the expo.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said the service should, however, be viewed as more than a temporary arrangement designed to support the tourism exhibition, arguing that reliable air connectivity could become a key enabler of tourism and broader economic development in Masvingo.
Retaining the route would improve the province’s access to domestic and international markets while creating a more convenient gateway for tourists seeking to explore its diverse attractions, including Great Zimbabwe, Kyle Recreational Park and the wider Lowveld tourism circuit.
The CEO Roundtable brought together tourism leaders, regulators and senior industry officials to deliberate on regional tourism cooperation, connectivity, destination development and measures to facilitate seamless movement of tourists across Africa.
Among those attending was Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Dr George Manyaya, who participated alongside his continental counterparts and tourism regulators from Zambia, Malawi, Côte d’Ivoire and Namibia.
The engagement also brought together chief executives and senior officials from the tourism industry and key enabling sectors, including immigration and aviation, highlighting the importance of a coordinated approach to growing the tourism economy.
The discussions underscored the need for African destinations to develop integrated tourism circuits, strengthen
joint destination marketing, improve intra-African air connectivity and harmonise regulatory frameworks to make travel across the continent easier.
Stronger connectivity is particularly important as Government seeks to broaden tourism beyond traditional
gateways and distribute the economic benefits of the sector to provinces and emerging destinations.
Stakeholders noted that tourism growth cannot be achieved by the hospitality industry alone, with aviation, immigration and other supporting sectors required to work in tandem to remove barriers to travel and provide visitors with a seamless experience.
The discussions come as Zimbabwe positions Sanganai/Hlanganai Expo as more than an annual tourism exhibition, with Government increasingly using the platform to forge business partnerships, open new markets, attract investment and strengthen the country’s position as a regional tourism hub.
The 19th edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe, running from 9-12 September at the Gymkhana Events and Conference Centre in Masvingo, is expected to bring together tourism buyers, exhibitors, investors and other industry stakeholders.
Retaining the Harare-Masvingo air link beyond the expo would provide a tangible and lasting economic benefit from the event by ensuring that improved accessibility and the visibility generated by Sanganai translate into sustained visitor flows, business activity and investment opportunities for Masvingo.
The arrival of 115 international buyers by air over the weekend provides an early demonstration of the role connectivity can play in supporting major tourism events and exposing the province to international markets.
The call also dovetails with the broader push for greater regional cooperation in tourism, with stakeholders arguing that improved connectivity between destinations is essential if Africa is to retain visitors for longer periods and capture a larger share of tourism expenditure.
Bongani Ndlovu