Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo, [email protected]
A total of 496 668 tourist arrivals were recorded countrywide during the third quarter of 2025, up from 450 922 in the same period in 2024, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 10,1 percent, according to the national statistics agency, Zimstat.
Zimbabwe was recently named the 2025 “World’s Best Country to Visit” by Forbes magazine, a recognition that underscores the nation’s growing appeal as a premium international tourist destination.
The country welcomed over 1,6 million international tourists in 2024, generating US$1,2 billion in revenue and attracting US$190,5 million in investments, according to a Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry report released in September.
International support for the sector has also grown, including a major conservation and tourism development partnership with the European Union, aimed at protecting biodiversity while promoting eco-friendly travel.
In its report, Zimstat said that, based on the first quarter of 2023 as a reference period, the third quarter 2025 Tourist Arrivals Index stood at 182,6. A quarter-on-quarter comparison showed the index had risen by 5,4 percent, up from 173,2 recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
The Tourist Arrivals Index tracks relative changes in the number of international visitors arriving in the country over time.
Zimstat also reported improvements in accommodation occupancy rates. The Room Nights Occupancy Rate increased by 4,9 percentage points, from 47,5 percent in Q3 2024 to 52,4 percent in Q3 2025. The Room Nights Occupancy Rate Index rose by 10,3 percent, from 130,9 in the same period in 2024 to 144,4 for the quarter under review. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the index gained 14,7 percent, up from 125,9 in Q2 2025.
Similarly, the Bed Nights Occupancy Rate increased by 1,7 percentage points, from 35,8 percent in Q3 2024 to 37,5 percent in Q3 2025. The corresponding index reached 163,0, up 4,7 percent year-on-year from 155,7, with a quarter-on-quarter gain of 14,3 percent from 142,6 in Q2 2025.
Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe continues to position itself as a leading global tourism destination, with the sector remaining a major contributor to GDP. President Mnangagwa has frequently described tourism as “a low-hanging fruit for accelerated economic growth, employment creation and foreign exchange generation.”
