Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve in Mutare
The tourism and hospitality industry in Mutare and the wider Eastern Highlands is vibrant with optimism, as the hosting of the prestigious Sanganai/Hlanganani Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo 2025 is already yielding significant dividends, unlocking the region’s vast potential and capturing the attention of the international market.
The Expo, organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), officially commences on Tuesday.
In a strategic prelude, international buyers and media representatives have embarked on a familiarisation tour of the Eastern Highlands, granting them a first-hand appreciation of the area’s world-class facilities and breathtaking attractions.
The mood across the region is one of unbridled excitement, with industry leaders reporting immediate and promising engagements with the global delegates.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday morning at their property, Musangano Lodge General Manager, Mr Leonard Bwanya, was effusive in his praise for the Expo’s relocation to the Eastern Highlands, detailing the profound impact it is already having.
“Yesterday we witnessed the inaugural touchdown of the Air Zimbabwe here in Mutare. We have received the British and the French groups and we have had a very brilliant discussion with those buyers and they have shown a great interest in the Eastern Highlands,” said Mr Bwanya.
He said there is a common revelation among the international visitors, which underscores the opportunity the Expo presents.
“Most of them alluded that they did not know that the Eastern Highlands did exist. They were just used to the west of the country so it was really a great discussion we had. Then later during the day we also received the German group who are also very enthusiastic about the Eastern Highlands,” he said.
Mr Bwanya extended his gratitude to the Government for its strategic decision.
“We are very much happy and very grateful to the Government for bringing Sanganai/Hlanganani Kumbanayi to the Eastern Highlands. I do not have any better way to thank the Government for bringing the Expo to the Eastern Highlands or to Mutare,” he said.
A key development catalysed by the Expo is the operationalisation of the Grand Reef Airport, which industry players hail as a game-changer for accessibility.
“In particular, the opening up of Grand Reef Airport is actually a masterstroke for tourism in the Eastern Highlands.
“As long as our international clients can actually fly into Mutare and now do all the activities around Mutare or the Eastern Highlands, I’m sure it will ease up the ease of travelling. So the source markets are opening up so much,” he said.
Positioning his lodge as a central hub for exploring the region, Mr Bwanya outlined Musangano’s unique selling proposition.
“We sell ourselves as a gateway to the Eastern Highlands, mainly because all the tourist attractions are accessible from Musangano. So we say you access all the tourist attractions without changing accommodation. Nyanga is an hour’s drive from here, same as Honde Valley, same as Vumba,” he said.
He detailed the lodge’s diverse accommodation offerings, which range from hotel-type rooms and chalets to self-catering villas and a campsite with safari tents, all set within a sprawling 140-hectare estate of Miombo woodlands.
With a clientele that includes international leisure travellers, families, and corporates utilising its dedicated conference venue, Musangano Lodge is a testament to the region’s varied appeal.
The lodge itself has a rich history, conceived by a German couple who came to Zimbabwe as expert teachers in Masvingo Province and were inspired to create a meeting place, a ‘Musangano’ for people to share a common vision.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani Kumbanayi Expo is far more than a week-long event. It is a catalyst, finally placing the Eastern Highlands firmly on the global tourism map and promising a new era of economic growth and international recognition for this verdant corner of Zimbabwe.
