Grand Reef Airport upgrade to drive tourism in Manicaland

Air Zimbabwe Flight UM145 receives the traditional water cannon salute after landing at Grand Reef Airport on Saturday

Nqobile Bhebhe in MUTARE

THE upgrade of Grand Reef Airport in Mutare to handle large aircraft has been hailed as a landmark development and a “masterstroke” for the growth of tourism in Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands.

Following this development, stakeholders have projected a surge in tourist arrivals driven by improved air connectivity.

The strategic investment, a collaborative effort between the Government and private partners, is widely seen as a critical step toward unlocking the tourism potential of Manicaland Province and other connected regions.

Destination connectivity, long recognised as a key pillar in tourism growth, is at the heart of this milestone.

Significant infrastructure upgrades have been implemented, including the expansion of Grand Reef Aerodrome to accommodate larger aircraft, the rehabilitation of the Mutare Flyover and key feeder roads, and the refurbishment of the iconic Mutare Sports Club.

As part of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Kumbanayi World Tourism Expo, Air Zimbabwe’s Flight UM145 from Harare to Mutare made a historic landing at Grand Reef Airport on Saturday, receiving the traditional water cannon salute to mark the occasion.

Aboard the 48-seater ATR42-500 were high-ranking Government officials, including Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi and her deputy, Tongai Mnangagwa.

The event is anchored on the theme, “Devolving Sustainable Tourism Development, Our Future,” which underscores the Government’s commitment to inclusive growth through decentralisation and the elevation of provincial economies under the Second Republic’s Vision 2030.

Stakeholders said Mutare’s hosting of the prestigious tourism expo is set to revitalise domestic tourism while catalysing broader economic activity in the region.

Speaking to Zimpapers Business Hub on Sunday, Musangano Lodge general manager, Mr Leonard Bwanya, praised the Government’s efforts:

“We are very 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.

He added that the airport upgrade would significantly ease access for international travellers:

“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 the ease of travelling. So the source markets are opening up so much.”