Online Reporter
Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe and Zambia are not tourism competitors but collaborators, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Dr George Manyaya has said.
He made the remarks during a visit by Zambia Vice President Mutale Nalumango to the Zimbabwe exhibition stand at the Zambia Tourism Expo (ZATEX), which is underway in Lusaka.
VP Nalumango was received by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Zambia Charity Charamba, the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry Director for Domestic Tourism Mrs Gladys Chinyerere and Dr Manyaya.
Addressing VP Nalumango and her entourage, Dr Manyaya said the two neighbouring countries share some of Africa’s most iconic tourism assets and should intensify joint marketing efforts to maximise benefits for both destinations.
“Your Honour, Zimbabwe and Zambia are not competitors; we are co-opetitors (a competitor in business or a game who also acts as a collaborator),” he said.
“We share one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Victoria Falls. Our responsibility is to strengthen collaborative marketing so that tourists experience both sides of the Falls because each side offers a unique and complementary experience.”
Dr Manyaya noted that regional tourism growth would be accelerated through stronger partnerships, joint destination promotion and integrated tourism experiences that encourage visitors to explore multiple destinations within Southern Africa.
Zimbabwe’s heritage-based tourism development model, which President Mnangagwa introduced as part of the country’s broader economic transformation agenda, identified tourism as one of the “key economic drivers” of national development, said Dr Manyaya.
“As a result, we are pursuing heritage-based tourism that leverages our cultural, historical, natural and culinary assets to create authentic visitor experiences,” he said.
Gastronomy tourism, spearheaded by First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, is emerging as an important pillar of Zimbabwe’s tourism offering, enabling visitors to connect with the country’s heritage through indigenous cuisine, food traditions and local storytelling.
Taking advantage of the platform, Dr Manyaya extended an invitation to Zambia’s tourism industry to participate in the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, to be held in Masvingo in September.
He encouraged Zambia to bring a strong delegation of exhibitors, tourism operators and international buyers to strengthen regional tourism trade and partnerships.
Responding to the remarks, VP Nalumango welcomed the spirit of cooperation between the two countries. “I am happy to hear this cooperation agenda. Tourism thrives when countries work together and it would be good to see Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Namibia collaborating, and such partnerships are important for the growth of our region,” she said.
The Zambia Tourism Expo, which started on Thursday, ends today. It was officially opened by VP Nalumango.
The annual event, running under the theme “Building authentic and sustainable tourism through partnerships”, has attracted tourism stakeholders from across the region.
It serves as a platform for networking, destination marketing, investment promotion and business-to-business engagements.
