Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is ripe for Diaspora investment, with Government identifying it as a low-hanging fruit capable of accelerating economic transformation under the Second Republic’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.
This was underscored by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi during an oversubscribed Zimbabwe Diaspora Tourism Investment Forum held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, where she urged Zimbabweans living abroad to convert remittances into productive investments back home.
The engagement in the United States follows a similar successful investment roadshow held in Australia earlier this month as Government intensifies efforts to mobilise Diaspora capital in support of Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (2026-2030).
The Atlanta forum attracted overwhelming interest from Zimbabweans based in the United States, with participants expressing a strong desire to invest in their homeland while seeking clarity on opportunities across Zimbabwe’s tourism value chain.
Officiated by Minister Rwodzi, the forum forms part of Government’s broader strategy to deepen Diaspora engagement and accelerate tourism-led economic transformation.
In an update, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry said Minister Rwodzi, in her keynote address, reaffirmed Government’s commitment to sustained Diaspora engagement through President Mnangagwa’s Engagement and Re-engagement Foreign Policy, anchored on Soft Diplomacy and the principle that “Zimbabwe is a Friend to All and an Enemy to None.”
“Guided by Vision 2030, Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, she said the Second Republic continues to implement inclusive Economic reforms founded on Devolution, Rural Industrialisation and the philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind, while recognising the Diaspora as a strategic partner in National Development,” the Ministry said.
The Ministry noted that Zimbabweans based in the United States remain key contributors to the country’s economy.
“The Minister applauded Zimbabweans in the United States for their invaluable contribution to the economy, noting that the United States-based Diaspora contributes approximately 12% of Zimbabwe’s remittance inflows, while Diaspora remittances have remained a key pillar of economic resilience over the past three years.
“She called on Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to transform remittances into Economic Investments back home, particularly within the Tourism Sector, which she described as a low-hanging fruit and high-impact Investment Sector under the Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra.”
Minister Rwodzi said investment opportunities exist in accommodation, conference facilities, rural tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, gastronomy tourism, renewable energy, waste management and community-based tourism, supported by improved air connectivity and the Ministry’s Tourism Cluster Strategy.
Complementing the Minister’s presentation, the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority delivered presentations showcasing competitive investment opportunities across the tourism value chain, further reinforcing Zimbabwe’s attractive investment climate.
