Zimbabwe’s tourism minister has called on African countries to pool their natural wonders, wildlife and cultural heritage and promote cross-border travel together, as leaders gather in Harare for a major regional summit.

Barbara Rwodzi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, made the appeal at the COMESA Tourism and Cultural Night, held at Heritage Village in Harare.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s decision to celebrate his 74th birthday in Zimbabwe has brought fresh international attention to the country’s combination of wildlife safaris, dramatic landscapes and outdoor experiences.

The Manchester United co-owner and INEOS founder has praised Zimbabwe’s hospitality, natural beauty and golf courses during an eight-day visit that has included Victoria Falls, Nyanga and Hwange National Park. He is also expected to visit Mana Pools National Park, where he previously explored the Zambezi River by canoe.

A new Zimbabwe tourism strategy aims to broaden the country’s appeal beyond wildlife and Victoria Falls by placing its history, culture and heritage at the forefront. 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo in Masvingo, where tourism businesses, investors, cultural practitioners and government officials gathered around the theme of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

A delegation of tourism buyers from Japan has landed at Masvingo Airport, arriving ahead of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo 2026, which opens in the city on 9 September.

Their arrival is more than a courtesy visit. It puts Zimbabwe’s tourism products directly in front of trade players with the power to decide where Japanese holidaymakers spend their money.

Zimbabwe is turning to sports tourism as a new way of getting people to travel, discover its destinations and experience the country beyond its traditional tourism attractions.

Golf is at the centre of that effort.

The Country Club in Harare hosted the third edition of the Sterling Group International Pairs Golf National Final, bringing together some of the country’s leading amateur players after a nationwide qualifying campaign.

Masvingo is set to welcome hundreds of tourism professionals, investors and international buyers as Zimbabwe’s premier Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo heads to the province, bringing new infrastructure, investment opportunities and global attention to Great Zimbabwe.

The United States has confirmed its place as Zimbabwe’s most important source of overseas visitors, with new figures showing a dramatic rise in American arrivals over the past four years.

Tourist numbers from the US climbed from 18,756 in 2021 to 109,959 in 2025, according to figures released by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA).

The Victoria Falls Rainforest has reopened to the public after a brief closure prompted by elephants entering the site, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has confirmed.

ZimParks said the closure, introduced earlier as a precautionary safety measure, lasted approximately two and a half hours.

Air Zimbabwe has resumed direct flights between Harare and London, ending a 14-year absence from a route once considered the backbone of the airline’s long-haul network.

The relaunch, marked by a reception and launch ceremony at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport under the banner “Fly Direct, Experience Zimbabwe,” restores a link to a market that officials describe as central to the country’s tourism ambitions.