Zimbabwe to host first-ever Africa gastronomy tourism conference

George Maponga in Masvingo

Zimbabwe will this year host the first-ever Africa gastronomy tourism conference as the nation seeks to ride and accrue benefits from First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s spirited campaign to promote the consumption and showcasing of indigenous foods that are acclaimed for their numerous health benefits.

The gastronomy tourism conference is scheduled to be held in Victoria Falls between June and July this year after Zimbabwe recently got the nod to host the first-ever such event in Africa.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Barbara Rwodzi says the First Lady’s relentless drive to promote gastronomy or culinary tourism locally and without the country’s borders is now paying dividends for Zimbabwe as the impending inaugural Africa food tourism conference set to be hosted by the country will further stimulate the growth of the tourism industry.

Minister Rwodzi hailed Dr Mnangagwa, who is the tourism and hospitality patron, for her vision and foresight having first championed gastronomy tourism around 2019 resulting in her being honoured by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO) for her work.

”The First Lady is indeed a visionary having first started promoting gastronomy tourism in Zimbabwe in 2019 when started moving around the country promoting local dishes with that drive temporarily stopped by the Covid-19 hiatus in 2020 and 2021. However after a lull in Covid, the First Lady started her campaign again in from 2022 and last year(2023) the country even hosted the SADC regional cookout competition that was held here in Masvingo on Africa Day,” she said.