Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
The country’s rich cultural heritage continues to be integrated into its tourism narrative, as seen with the appointment of the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) chief executive officer, Napoleon Nyanhi, to the Board of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).
Responding to his new role, Nyanhi, whose distinguished career has been deeply rooted in the nation’s arts, culture, and media sectors, expressed humility and outlined an ambitious vision in which arts and culture will become the core of the visitor’s experience.
Speaking exclusively to the Arts and Entertainment Hub, Nyanhi reflected on the significance of his appointment, particularly given his background steering initiatives like the NACZ and the National Arts Council of South Africa (NACSA) Memorandum of Understanding, and prominent media roles at Capitalk FM, Star FM, and Dreamstar.
“I am greatly humbled by this appointment and I feel honoured to be part of such a well-performing team, considering that in 2025, Zimbabwe was named the best country to visit in the world by Forbes Magazine,” Nyanhi stated.
“This appointment comes with a great responsibility and I will give it my best. I want to thank the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbara Rwodzi, for trusting me in this role.”
He immediately drew the intrinsic link between his lifelong passion and his new duties as he said: “Art and tourism are an inevitable synergy. We work together to transform a visit from a purely scenic experience into a cultural dialogue.”
“Ishowspeed’s visit to Zimbabwe is a good example of how tourism and art can be linked, considering how the narrative of his visit was pushed by local creatives. Such an experience leaves us with a good challenge to come up with local creative initiatives that give our visitors an unforgettable experience, while marketing the brand Zimbabwe to the world.”
Nyanhi’s recent success in securing the landmark NACZ-NACSA MoU underscores his strong belief in strategic partnerships.
He plans to bring this collaborative ethos directly to the ZTA, aiming to fundamentally shift the role of the arts sector.
“I strongly believe in collaboration. I want to commence by ensuring the arts sector is a core component of the visitor’s experience and economic value chain. I envision moving from promotion to integration,” he explained.
He praised the existing ZTA efforts like the ZimBho campaign, as he also said there is massive room for improvement, as he sees fertile ground for deeper joint ventures.
“I appreciate how ZTA has been selling Zimbabwe under the ZimBho banner, a move which has produced amazing results. With more collaborations like the appointment of tourism ambassadors and co-creation of destination narratives, we can stir more desire for local and international tourism.”
Nyanhi’s unique blend of extensive media production experience and his recently acquired Master’s Degree in Strategic Management positions him uniquely to greatly contribute to the ZTA’s marketing and governance. He sees his role not in overhauling channels, but in enhancing their creative impact.
“Effective multi-channel communication is critical for demystifying, differentiating, and humanising Brand Zimbabwe in a competitive global tourism market. ZTA already has existing marketing strategies, which include Digital and Social Media, Traditional Media, Partnerships and Influencer Activity, and the use of Creative Content like Film and Music,” he noted.
“The contribution is not on what media to use, but the creativity in what to do on the available media platforms and that creative skill is what is special. Every creative person comes with their unique touch of imagination.”
He expressed excitement about contributing to major events like the Sanganai/Hlanganani Expo, as he highlighted the value of his current NACZ role.
“I am grateful that I have the experience of working for a Government agency through the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe. That experience is very critical in navigating the processes of decision-making. With the understanding of how Government policies are crafted, I can be more effective.”
Nyanhi steps onto the ZTA Board armed with a clear mandate drawn from a lifetime in culture to ensure that Zimbabwe’s artistic soul becomes inseparable from its global tourism identity, transforming visitors into participants in a vibrant cultural conversation. —@MbuleloMpofu
