A GOLDEN TRIUMPH FOR ZIM ON THE GLOBAL TOURISM STAGE

Zimbabwe has scooped the Gold Award in the Internet and Media Category at the 2026 Chinese Tourist Welcome (CTW) Awards, presented by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), marking a significant international recognition of the country’s tourism marketing efforts within the Chinese market.

The prestigious award serves as a powerful endorsement of Zimbabwe’s excellence in destination marketing and innovative digital tourism promotion, reflecting the country’s growing global appeal and what organisers described as the enduring friendship between Zimbabwe and China. The Gold Award recognises tourism destinations that have demonstrated outstanding achievement in reaching and engaging Chinese travellers through digital and media channels, a category that has become increasingly competitive as destinations worldwide compete for the attention of China’s substantial outbound tourism market.

According to those behind the campaign, this achievement was driven by bold and innovative marketing initiatives that significantly elevated Zimbabwe’s visibility in China over the past year. Central to this effort was a highly successful Key Opinion Leader (KOL) programme, through which influential Chinese travel content creators showcased Zimbabwe’s attractions and cultural heritage to millions of potential tourists across major Chinese social media platforms, including Douyin, WeChat, and Xiaohongshu. The use of KOLs, a marketing approach roughly equivalent to influencer partnerships in Western markets, has become an increasingly essential tool for destinations seeking to build authentic engagement with Chinese audiences, who often place significant trust in recommendations from trusted content creators over traditional advertising.

Complementing the KOL programme was a landmark advertorial campaign promoting Victoria Falls across China’s high-speed rail network, bringing Zimbabwe’s most iconic destination to the attention of hundreds of millions of passengers travelling across the country’s national rail system. By embedding tourism promotion into the everyday commuting and travel experience of Chinese rail passengers, the campaign is credited with transforming routine journeys into sustained exposure opportunities for the Zimbabwean destination brand, reaching audiences who might not otherwise have engaged with traditional tourism marketing channels.

Together, organisers say these two strategic campaigns worked in tandem to strengthen Zimbabwe’s destination brand, inspire travel intent, and firmly position the country as a destination of choice within the Chinese outbound tourism market. As China continues to represent one of the world’s largest sources of international travellers, this recognition is expected to further boost confidence in Zimbabwe’s tourism marketing strategy, reinforcing the country’s efforts to diversify its visitor base and strengthen ties with one of its most significant emerging tourism markets.