Online Reporter
Tawanda Musarurwa
RAINBOW Tourism Group has secured a rare double international certification milestone that places one of Zimbabwe’s largest hotel operators among a small cluster of local companies meeting stringent global standards for cybersecurity and operational resilience — a move that could bolster its appeal to lenders and international investors
The hospitality group announced on Wednesday that it had simultaneously achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for information security management and ISO 22301:2019 certification for business continuity management, becoming the only hotel company in the country to hold both standards following a concurrent audit process.
The achievement puts RTG in an exclusive category beyond tourism. Across Zimbabwe’s economy — including sectors such as banking, telecommunications and technology — only four organisations have completed dual certification under the two standards in a single audit cycle, according to the company.
For a hospitality operator increasingly positioning itself as a technology-enabled enterprise, the certifications represent more than a compliance exercise.
“This is a defining moment for Rainbow Tourism Group and for Zimbabwe’s hospitality sector,” said chief executive officer Mr Tendai Madziwanyika.
“These certifications are not symbolic; they are a formal, independent affirmation that RTG has the systems, the discipline and the people to operate at the highest international standards.”
The move comes as companies across industries face intensifying pressure to strengthen cyber defences, protect customer data and demonstrate the ability to withstand disruptions ranging from system outages to supply-chain shocks and natural disasters.
The certifications also arrive as RTG accelerates a wider digital transformation strategy that is reshaping its business model beyond traditional hotel operations.
Earlier this year, the group unveiled an application programming interface (API) integration connecting its booking ecosystem to a global accommodation network spanning more than 500 000 hotels and over 13 million rooms worldwide.
The system enables RTG to distribute accommodation inventory far beyond its own properties through its platforms, creating a commission-based, asset-light revenue stream.
Mr Madziwanyika has indicated the initiative could materially alter the group’s earnings profile and challenge conventional definitions of its core business.
ISO/IEC 27001, regarded as the global benchmark for information security management, certifies that an organisation has established controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information assets.
For hotel operators handling guest identities, payment details and corporate booking data, such safeguards are becoming increasingly critical.
ISO 22301, meanwhile, measures an organisation’s readiness to maintain operations during crises. Certification signals that a company has developed tested frameworks to continue serving customers during unforeseen disruptions.
For RTG, achieving both simultaneously required aligning governance systems, risk management structures, documentation protocols, staff competence and audit preparedness across two separate but interconnected disciplines; all within one audit window.
The dual certification forms part of a broader standards drive within the group.
In March, Montclair Resort & Conference, acquired by RTG in 2025, attained ZWS ISO 9001:2015 certification for quality management systems.
That milestone completed RTG’s portfolio-wide quality certification journey, meaning all seven of its hotels, including their flagship Rainbow Towers in Harare, and the corporate office now operate under the internationally recognised quality management framework.
The strategic implications may extend beyond hotel operations.
Globally, certifications linked to governance, information security and business continuity are increasingly emerging as prerequisite indicators for development finance institutions, international lenders and environmental, social and governance-focused investors assessing institutional risk.
For RTG, which has signalled ambitions tied to growth capital and long-term expansion, the certifications strengthen its credentials with the international financial community and reinforce its positioning as a bankable African hospitality player.
The development also carries broader significance for Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, which is seeking to attract premium international travellers and investment despite a fiercely competitive regional market.
