Chronicle EditorSenior Business Writer
TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister, Tongai Mnangagwa, has said young people should take the lead in promoting township tourism in Zimbabwe.
Despite being introduced in 2012, very few players have capitalised on the opportunities presented by this untapped market.
Township tourism has the potential to increase revenue for the country’s tourism sector while also promoting sustainable development in marginalised areas. If Zimbabwe adopts this approach, it stands to realise significant economic benefits.
Township tourism involves visiting historically disadvantaged urban districts that have not been adequately exploited. During his recent visit to Bulawayo, Deputy Minister Mnangagwa emphasised the need to revitalise this concept by adopting models that have worked well in other countries.
He encouraged Zimbabweans living abroad to share their experience, saying there was no need to reinvent the wheel. He cited Maboneng in Bulawayo as an example of a township hangout area which has been successfully developed into a major tourist destination.
“Township tourism is an uncharted territory for us. We need to identify those who can lead various tourism clusters. Zimbabweans are all over the world and have experience of what we want to do,” said Deputy Minister Mnangagwa.
“President Mnangagwa is saying come back home and implement all you have learnt. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, come to us and say, South Africa is doing this, come with that knowledge and see what we can implement here.
“We went to a place called Maboneng in Bulawayo, a place that was properly done and you can experience your Soweto here.”
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Takaruza Munyanyiwa, revealed that the Government was working on transferring national monuments from the Home Affairs portfolio to his ministry.
He stated that there was a need for an open-access model for these facilities to enable tourists to visit them.
“The monuments are under Home Affairs and there is a process to transfer them to the Tourism Ministry. When it’s done, we will market the places,” he said.
Some national monuments are located along Bulawayo’s urban heritage corridor, which was launched by President Mnangagwa in June 2021.
The monuments include Inxwala Grounds, Dr Joshua Nkomo’s Statue, the Natural History Museum, and the Hanging Tree.
Township tourism emerged in the 1990s in developing countries and involves visiting disadvantaged areas of cities to gain an understanding of how locals live. The concept is popular in Brazil, India, and South Africa, where it is packaged as an authentic, interactive, and educational experience.
The Government recognises that tourism is a key driver of the economy and aims to use this sector strategically to promote growth and development.
In August 2020, President Mnangagwa launched the National Tourism Recovery and Growth Strategy, which seeks to position Zimbabwe as a prime international tourist destination by leveraging its unique assets of nature, culture, heritage and the built environment.
The strategy aligns with the Government’s Vision 2030 to become an upper-middle-income economy characterised by increased investment, decent jobs, and a populace free from poverty and corruption.
Sidumisile Mabena