Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo, [email protected]
LUPANE State University (LSU) will represent Matabeleland North Province at the 18th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Mutare next month, after winning the Scholastica Tourism Conference with a groundnut-based innovation.
The tourism showcase, scheduled for 10–12 September, will be hosted in Mutare for the first time, following 17 years at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) in Bulawayo.
LSU students, Miss Messiah Moyo and Miss Wethenjiwe Ngwenya, triumphed over the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) during the conference held in Bulawayo recently. Their winning project, developed under the theme “Eco-Resilient Destinations: Leveraging Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality in Zimbabwe,” uses groundnuts to produce flour for pastries and other meals — an idea aimed at promoting sustainability, food heritage, and employment creation.
Miss Moyo said the project was inspired by the country’s Education 5.0 heritage-based learning model.
“We are looking at innovation from groundnuts. We managed to come up with flour which can be used to prepare pastries. We hope to achieve a unique product and a unique flavour,” she said.
She said they intend to take the product to market and showcase the uniqueness of traditional Zimbabwean food.
LSU’s Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Dr Sibongile Manzini, said the innovation reflects the university’s commitment to supporting sustainability and economic growth.
ZITF Marketing and Communications Manager, Mr Thandolwenkosi Nkomo, said the conference was designed to bridge academia and industry, while promoting inclusivity in tourism innovation.
He noted that students had worked tirelessly to develop innovative solutions and ideas that highlight the best of Zimbabwe’s tourism and hospitality sector.
“The conference seeks to harness innovations for tourism and hospitality industry growth in a way that promotes inclusivity, particularly through the active participation of differently-abled students, thereby ensuring equal opportunities and representation in the tourism innovation ecosystem.
“This resonates with the President’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind. Through this conference, we look forward to increased visibility of inclusive innovations in sustainable tourism, which is crucial today due to growing environmental, social, and economic concerns,” he said.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo, organised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), is the country’s premier tourism trade fair and successor to the Shanyai/Vakatshani Zimbabwe International Travel Expo (ZITE), which was rebranded in 2007.
