How hosting the 44th Sadc Summit will reshape Zimbabwe’s tourism industry
ZIMBABWE will be hosting this year’s special 44th Sadc Summit in August under the theme, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised Sadc.”
The summit will once again put the country at the tiller of the regional body with President Mnangagwa taking up chairmanship of the regional bloc.
The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) is a strategic Regional Economic Community with a cohort of 16 Member States that include Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The hosting of Heads of States from all aforesaid member countries and emissaries from the European Union, African Union, IFAD, Danida and the World Bank is an impervious demonstration of Zimbabwe’s aplomb, recovery position and resilience in the face of adversity and nihilistic entities.
This article highlights some of the notable ‘‘metamorphic’’ and tourism-related changes that have taken place in the country of late.
It is expected that the delegates will have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with these developments during their visit.
Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport
The Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is highly modernised since undergoing a transformative redesign and expansion of its international passenger terminal building connected to the landside and air side infrastructure which was one of the national initiatives to enhance the country’s aviation services.
Parliament Building
An apt man-made tourist “attraction” for both locals and tourists from beyond borders, the newly erected state-of-the-art Parliament Building located in Mount Hampden, which accommodates up to 650 lawmakers, their offices, conference rooms and assembly spaces is one of the major infrastructural developments the country has accomplished.
Cyber City
A new remarkable development currently taking shape is the construction of the high-tech Zimbabwe Cyber City in Mount Hampden, Harare. The ‘‘smart city’’ is on the horizon and will house 80 villas with green spaces and Artificial Intelligence (AI) connected commercial offices as well as digital transport systems.
The Museum of African Liberation
Zimbabwe has spearheaded the establishment and construction of the Sadc Liberation Square (Museum of African Liberation) with a fervour to showcase African culture and its sovereignty history.
The museum’s site will include a 5-star hotel, a theme park, an exhibition structure with several national cenotaphs plus a heritage village among many recreational and amusement facilities.
Remarkably, the museum will be the first of its kind as a Pan-African multi-facility in the country, region and the entire African continent.
The museum will require support from the Sadc Member States to endorse and participate in this colossal project in which Switzerland has assured donation of ICT paraphernalia to digitise the museum.
The development will have great potential to significantly contribute to the preservation of the Sadc region’s historical, social, and cultural heritage among its people as well as the broader African continent.
Cricket World Cup stadium
Sports tourism at present is the fastest growing sector of the international travel industry. This is evidenced by the soon to be constructed 10 000-seater stadium in Victoria Falls.
The cricket venue is anticipated to welcome the 2026 ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup and the Men’s Cricket World Cup, in 2027 to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia.
Reshaping Zimbabwe’s tourism industry
The hosting of the Sadc Summit in Zimbabwe has affirmed commitment by regional members to enhance the image of the Second Republic and validate it as a peaceful nation.
The country will proffer a platform to accentuate its commitment to sustainable tourism practices by creating a heirloom of sustainability through eco-friendly initiatives, Kaza transfrontier conservation efforts and renewable energy projects.
In the run-up to the summit, modifications are taken up to improve infrastructure, amenity expansions and accelerate connectivity from major tourist source markets to prime tourist areas.
Additionally, the summit will elongate the country’s media exposure both regionally and globally. As a result, this visibility will unquestionably position Zimbabwe as a key destination for leisure, recreational and business tourism.
With an influx expectation of distinguished delegates, journalists and other VIPs, there will certainly be an up-welling demand for hotels, car hire, restaurants, tour bookings etc, thus, leading to increased job opportunities for the locals.
Hereafter, I augur a growing tourism demand, and creation of innovative travel experiences for visitors in the country rendered by tour operators and accommodation establishments that will tap into this lucrative opportunity.
Furthermore, the hosting of this year’s Sadc summit will necessitate intensified security measures for the visitors and citizens, therefore signifying Zimbabwe’s strengths on peace and security.
Lastly, the long-term infrastructure investments will have a long-lasting impact on the country’s appeal as a destination for both domestic and international travel.
Achieving the country’s Vision 2030 as a drive to become a global competitor and preferred tourist destination of choice is inexorable.
To surmise, hosting the 44th Sadc Summit will revolutionise our country’s tourism sector by positioning it as a must-visit destination as well as enlightening other African countries and the entire world about what we can offer, either through first-hand experience or third-person observation.
Simbarashe Murima writes in his own capacity as an education, tourism and hospitality expert in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
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