Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is rebounding, with receipts topping US$537 million in the first half of the year—a 6 percent rise from the same period in 2025—as growing global interest cements the industry’s role as a key driver of the national economy.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube revealed last week that earnings climbed from US$508 million in the first six months of last year, giving fresh momentum to Zimbabwe’s push to attain upper middle income status by 2030.
Speaking at a tourism investment forum during the just-ended 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo at Gymkhana Events and Conference Centre in Masvingo, Prof Ncube said the tourism sector received investments worth a combined US$1 billion during National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 from 2021 to 2025.
This, he said, was an indication of dividends being accrued from the Second Republic’s deliberate policy to attract investment in the tourism sector, with President Mnangagwa recently pledging his Government’s commitment to continue the removal of barriers that stymie increased investment.
Investments in the tourism sector tripled to over US$132,3 million in the first half of this year, up from US$40,2 million in the same period last year, as growth remains bullish on the back of increased investor confidence.
Prof Ncube said it was pleasing to note that the tourism growth dividends were not only evident through the high number of tourists coming into Zimbabwe but also in the magnitude of economic activity generated by the tourism sector.
“During the first half of 2026, tourist arrivals, both domestic and international, reached at least 792 000, representing a positive development for the tourism industry and the wider economy. More importantly, tourism receipts increased by 6 percent, from US$508 million during the first half of 2025 to US$537 million in the first half of 2026,” said Prof Ncube.
“This is a significant development which demonstrates that the recovery is not only reflected in the number of tourists entering the country, but also in the amount of economic value being generated from tourism.”
The Second Republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa is pulling all the stops to make sure the growth momentum in the tourism sector continues as Zimbabwe targets to evolve into an upper middle income society.
“The Tourism Sector is one of the leading growth sectors and we want that momentum to continue. International tourist arrivals increased by 6,1 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the first quarter, while domestic tourism trips increased by 27 percent, rising from approximately 5 million in the first half of 2025 to 6,4 million in the first half of 2026. This reflects the growing demand as investment is responding and the market is opening,” said Prof Ncube.
“The numbers are telling our story as the fundamentals are increasingly compelling. Zimbabwe’s economy grew by 8,3 percent in 2025, while foreign direct investment increased from US$597 million in 2024 to US$965 million in 2025.
“The tourism sector alone attracted more than US$1 billion in investments during the NDS 2021–2025 period and the momentum is continuing.
“As such, tourism investment increased from approximately US$190.5 million in 2024 to US$194,5 million in 2025 and in the first half of 2026 alone, Zimbabwe recorded approximately US$132 million in tourism investments. In the first quarter of 2026, tourism investment increased by an extraordinary 438 percent.”
According to the Finance and Investment Promotion Minister, it was encouraging to note that investors were no longer just looking at Zimbabwe as a tourist destination but as an investment opportunity.
The pivot to Zimbabwe by global hospitality brands in recent years, such as Accor, Grand Hyatt, Four Seasons, Radisson Blu and Hilton, was a testament to the fruits of a rebound of the country’s tourism sector under the Second Republic.
Prof Ncube revealed that Zimbabwe had around US$500 million of new hotel infrastructure projects at various stages of development and set for completion by the year 2030, which he said was a harbinger of even brighter days ahead for the country’s tourism sector.
The booming hotel room accommodation inventory in Harare was a microcosm of the renewed interest by investors to pour money in the local tourism industry, with Zimbabwe’s capital city now on course to hit the 20 000 hotel rooms capacity needed to host major international events.
“Harare currently has approximately 2 593 hotel rooms under construction, 2,402 rooms at tender or financial-closure stage and a further 2 000 rooms in greenfield projects,” said Prof Ncube.
“If these projects materialise, the city’s accommodation inventory could rise from approximately 11 854 to 18 849 rooms, bringing us closer to the 20 000 rooms required to support major international events.
“This demand extends beyond accommodation to exhibition and conferencing facilities, transport, entertainment, restaurants, retail, technology and destination experiences. The gap is therefore not a problem; it is an investment opportunity.”
The Second Republic will continue courting top international brands to invest in the local tourism sector, with Prof Ncube hailing President Mnangagwa’s recent engagement in Dubai with the billionaire founder of Emaar Properties, Mr Mohamed Alabbar, the developer behind the iconic Burj Khalifa.
