STERLING PAIRS GOLF FINAL DRIVES SPORTS TOURISM NATIONWIDE

Sports tourism is turning Zimbabwe’s fairways into platforms for destination discovery, domestic travel and international visibility, with golf emerging as a high-value niche connecting sporting excellence with hospitality and unique tourist experiences.

The Country Club in Harare hosted the third edition of the Sterling Group International Pairs Golf National Final, organised by Albatross Golf Safaris in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority. Held under the theme “Experience Zimbabwe – One Fairway at a Time,” the national final was staged at Harare Country Club, with the winning pair set to represent Zimbabwe at the World Final in Tenerife, Spain.

The 2026 edition drew around 1,550 participants through qualifiers held at 28 clubs nationwide, building on the tournament’s rapid growth trajectory. Qualifying rounds ran from May 25 to August 10 across venues including Royal Harare Golf Club, Borrowdale Brooke, Chapman, ZRP, and Country Club Golf Course, among many others spread across the country’s provinces.

Rotating the national final across provinces aligns with the Government’s Devolution Agenda by taking tourism events and their associated economic benefits to different parts of the country. This expands opportunities for accommodation, transport, restaurants and other tourism services while driving domestic tourism. Organisers have previously noted that the bulk of participating golfers are amateurs who travel from club to club, directly fuelling hotel bookings and local spending wherever tournaments are held.

Aligned with Vision 2030 and NDS2 2026–2030, the event demonstrates how sports tourism can develop high-value experiences and strengthen destination economies. Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Hon. Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa, noted that such events go beyond sport by creating platforms to tell the Zimbabwe story to regional and global audiences.

The tournament’s growth has been steady since Sterling Hotels became the official sponsor, with organisers reporting rising participation numbers year-on-year as more clubs and social golfers join the qualifying circuit. Zimbabwe Golf Association leadership has previously highlighted that amateur golfers, who make up the vast majority of the country’s playing population, are the primary drivers of sports tourism arrivals linked to the sport.

Zimbabwe’s representatives will now carry that story to the International Pairs World Finals in Tenerife, Spain, promoting Destination Zimbabwe on a global stage and strengthening the country’s case for hosting future global editions of the tournament — a bid officials have actively encouraged as part of broader efforts to position Zimbabwe as a premier golf tourism destination in the region.