Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Barbara Rwodzi has said domestic tourism remains a major contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to international tourism, even as Government moves to improve the accuracy of data collection in the sector.
Addressing a 2026 pre-budget seminar in Bulawayo, Minister Rwodzi noted the importance of properly recording domestic tourism statistics, noting that current systems were not capturing local travel accurately.
“I want to address the Domestic Tourism statistics. It is very true that we are not recording our domestic statistics properly or accurately, unlike international,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She said Government, through collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage led by Honourable Kazembe Kazembe, is working to correct anomalies in the way international arrivals are recorded.
“On the international side, we are already coming up with a solution with Honourable Kazembe and his team of Home Affairs, because there was just a little anomaly whereby they record returning residents from diaspora as locals, yet they are coming from international destinations to come and spend money and go back, particularly the season that we are in right now.
“They come in their big numbers, Honourable Speaker, and we would want to know how many of the international arrivals that has been contributed by the diaspora,” she said
Minister Rwodzi said the Second Republic, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, continues to value the role played by the Zimbabwean diaspora in both investment and tourism.
“Our President is very keen about diaspora investments in the country and even diasporans coming back to the country and spending their money,” she said.
She further explained that while international tourism receives much attention, it is actually domestic tourism that drives a larger share of revenue through activities such as Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
“While we are there on domestic arrivals, it would be great to let this House know that actually, it is domestic tourism that contributes higher to our tourism incomes, because of these MICE events.
“This is why we clustered our tourism sector. The main reason was to know which part of tourism contributes what.
“So domestic tourism does very well,” she said.
However, Minister Rwodzi pointed out that domestic family travel remains low due to affordability challenges.
“Where it does not do well within that aspect or that framework is the travelling of families. It’s very, very low. The travelling of individuals is low. The travelling of friends, going to friends and family is quite low. Why? Because prices are quite exorbitant for our locals,” she said.
To address this, the Minister said Government is working on provisions within the Tourism Bill to make travel and accommodation more accessible to Zimbabweans.
“And this, we are adjusting that, or we are addressing this issue in the Tourism Bill,” she said.
The Minister’s remarks come as Zimbabwe continues to reposition tourism as a key driver of economic growth under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), with emphasis on both international and domestic markets.
