Tourism upswing lifts receipts 14% in Q1
Tourism upswing lifts receipts 14% in Q1
STAFF WRITER
Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is riding a firm upswing, with receipts in the first quarter of 2026 rising 14% to US$251m from US$221m, while international arrivals grew 11%, Business Times can report.
Official data from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) shows international tourist arrivals climbed to 384,561 in the period under review, up from 347,555 in the same quarter last year, underlining sustained demand and improving competitiveness of the destination.
Africa remained the dominant source market, accounting for 75% of total arrivals, slightly down from 76% in the comparable period last year, while overseas markets continued to gain traction.
The upswing comes amid growing international recognition of Zimbabwe as a tourism destination.
Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi was named Africa’s Best Minister of Tourism, while the country was crowned Best Natural Destination — Wonders by PATWA during ITB Berlin. Adding to the momentum, Forbes listed Zimbabwe among the world’s must-visit destinations, further cementing its global appeal. Rwodzi was also ranked the top-performing Cabinet minister for 2025.
The sector’s aggressive growth and destination protection agenda received an additional boost in February with the appointment of George Manyaya as chief executive of the ZTA, a move widely seen as strategic in accelerating destination marketing, strengthening investor confidence and safeguarding Zimbabwe’s tourism assets.
With receipts climbing sharply from US$221m to US$251m, the sector is reinforcing its role as a critical foreign currency earner and a key pillar of economic growth.
ZTA attributed the strong performance to Zimbabwe’s rising global profile and sustained international confidence.
“International tourist arrivals increased by 11% from 347,555 in 2025 to 384,561, while tourism receipts grew by 14% to US$251m, up from US$221m,” the authority said.
“This performance is reinforced by Zimbabwe’s growing global profile, including recognition by Forbes as one of the world’s top destinations in 2025 and the award for ‘Destination of the Year for Natural Wonders’ at ITB Berlin 2026, while the Minister of Tourism, Barbara Rwodzi, was named Tourism Minister of the Year (Africa) due to the sector’s vigorous recovery and strategic growth under her direction.
“The positive trajectory is supported by improved air connectivity, expanded domestic and regional flight networks, and cluster-based tourism development initiatives.”
Domestic tourism also emerged as a key growth pillar, with trips rising significantly to 2.62m from 1.94m in the prior year, driven largely by social travel, religious tourism and education-related visits.
On the international front, growth was recorded across all major source markets. Arrivals from Africa increased by 9%, while overseas markets registered a stronger 16% expansion. The share of overseas visitors edged up to 25% from 24% last year—a notable shift given that long-haul tourists typically have higher spending power, enhancing the overall value of tourism inflows.
However, despite the strong upswing, emerging global risks are beginning to weigh on momentum. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have triggered route disruptions and rising fuel costs, contributing to a 12% decline in inbound tourism in March alone.
The shock affected all source markets, with long-haul overseas arrivals bearing the brunt due to their reliance on international flight connectivity.
Meanwhile, national average hotel occupancy improved marginally to 38% during the quarter, up from 37% in the same period last year, although performance varied across provinces.
