HAZ MARKS WORLD TOURISM DAY AT HARARE’S HERITAGE VILLAGE

The Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ) commemorated World Tourism Day on Saturday at Heritage Village in Harare, with a programme built around culture, food and the country’s welcoming spirit.

The association had invited the public to take part in what it described as a celebration of Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. The programme was centred on vibrant traditional dances, local cuisine and the warm hospitality for which Zimbabweans are known.

Heritage Village was a fitting venue. Set in the capital, it is associated with showcasing Zimbabwean culture, making it a natural home for an event that puts heritage at the heart of tourism.

Beyond the festivities, HAZ used the occasion to make a wider point. The association framed the day as an opportunity to appreciate the country’s diversity and to promote sustainable tourism practices that benefit local communities. That message reflects a growing emphasis in the sector on making sure tourism growth delivers value beyond hotel rooms and game reserves, reaching the people who live in and around the destinations visitors come to see.

As a body representing the country’s hospitality operators, HAZ has a direct stake in the conversation. Hotels, lodges, restaurants and guesthouses depend on a steady flow of visitors, and cultural events like this help keep Zimbabwe’s story in front of both domestic and international audiences.

Domestic tourism stands to gain in particular from public celebrations of this kind. Inviting Zimbabweans to experience their own heritage, food and hospitality encourages residents to become tourists in their own country, a group the industry increasingly regards as important for year-round demand.

The commemoration also came as the country pushes to raise its profile abroad. Authorities have been actively promoting Zimbabwe’s tourism and investment story internationally, including at the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York. Events at home reinforce that message locally, showing that the culture and hospitality being marketed to the world are alive and on display in Harare.

Traditional dance, local cuisine and community-focused tourism sit at the core of what makes Zimbabwe distinctive. By bringing them together in a single celebration, HAZ set out to remind visitors and residents alike that the country’s greatest tourism asset is its people.