KARIBA TO HOST 2027 SANGANAI/HLANGANANI TOURISM EXPO

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi has confirmed that the 2027 edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo will be hosted in Kariba, Mashonaland West province, continuing government’s strategic push to rotate the flagship tourism showcase across the country’s provinces and disperse economic opportunities beyond traditional tourism hubs such as Victoria Falls, Harare and Bulawayo.

The announcement was made during the Mashonaland West Amai’s Provincial Traditional Cook-Out Competition held at The Odyssey, an event celebrating the province’s culture, cuisine and heritage, with the province securing hosting rights on the back of its established tourism assets and readiness to welcome the world.

“The ministry has given Mashonaland West the nod to host the 2027 Expo because the province has the assets, the people and the readiness to host the world,” Rwodzi said.

The Minister highlighted Kariba’s growing stature within Zimbabwe’s tourism rankings, noting that Victoria Falls remains the country’s top destination, followed by the Eastern Highlands, Great Zimbabwe, and Kariba Dam in fourth place. “Kariba’s presence in the top four shows that the province already has world-class products to showcase,” she said, pointing also to the Chinhoyi Caves as another key attraction strengthening the province’s tourism profile.

Rwodzi said hosting the expo would translate into direct economic opportunities for local businesses across the hospitality value chain, including hotels, transport operators, crafters and farmers. “For our people in Mashonaland West, this is a direct opportunity. The expo will open doors to markets and partnerships that can last long after 2027,” she said.

The decision continues a broader rotational policy government has adopted for the expo, moving it away from its historical concentration in Harare and Bulawayo toward a model that spreads infrastructure investment, visibility and tourism revenue across all of Zimbabwe’s provinces. This year’s 19th edition is being hosted in Masvingo from 9 to 12 September 2026, anchored by the Great Zimbabwe Monument, following a similar rationale of heritage-led, devolution-driven tourism promotion.

The Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, organised annually by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, remains Zimbabwe’s premier tourism marketing platform, drawing exhibitors, buyers, investors and tour operators from across Africa and beyond. With Kariba now confirmed as the 2027 host, attention will shift to the Zambezi Valley’s tourism circuit, offering the resort town and surrounding communities a significant platform to showcase their offerings on the international stage while cementing government’s commitment to taking tourism development to every corner of the country.