Hwange set to host Pan-African Business summit, as MICE tourism grows

Rutendo Nyeve

HWANGE National Park is set to take centre stage in the nation’s business tourism calendar next week as it hosts the 2026 ELISA Business Summit, a high-level Pan-African gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, and institutional leaders.

The summit is scheduled for 19 March 2026 at the Gwango Heritage Resort, signalling the continued growth of Zimbabwe’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism cluster.

With delegates also set to be accommodated at a local hotel Hwange and other local properties within the park, the event is expected to provide a significant boost to the local hospitality industry.

The summit will be held under the theme: Business Beyond Borders.

It is organised by the Enterprise Leaders and Innovators Society for Africa (ELISA), a platform dedicated to strengthening enterprise capability and cross-border collaboration across the continent.

Organisers have indicated that the event will move beyond high-level rhetoric to focus on practical solutions for scaling businesses within African markets.

Discussions will centre on cross-border trade frameworks, capital alignment, supply chain resilience, and enterprise leadership.

The programme includes plenary sessions, masterclasses for emerging entrepreneurs, executive forums for established business leaders, and the Beyond Borders Live Pitch, where selected founders will showcase ventures addressing cross-market opportunities.

“ELISA convenes entrepreneurs, operators, investors, and policy-adjacent leaders through flagship forums including the ELISA Business Summit and ELISA Confab, focused on strengthening enterprise capability, cross-border collaboration, and execution across African markets.

“Its mission is to connect African founders and leaders globally, enabling peer learning, practical exchange, and the development of viable enterprises that drive job creation and long-term economic growth on the continent,” read a press release by the organisers.

ELISA aims to establish the Summit as an annual fixture in Hwange, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s position as a premier destination for business tourism while fostering investment flows and enterprise development across Africa.