By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE – From the kitchen table to the border post, a quiet but powerful coordination is underway across Zimbabwe’s government—one that Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi says is essential to unlocking the sector’s full potential.
In a candid interview at the opening of the National Tourism Sector Strategy consultation at Baradzanwa Cultural Centre, Minister Rwodzi revealed that her ministry is working closely with no fewer than six other government portfolios to tackle the infrastructure and policy challenges that have long held back tourism growth.
The collaboration, she said, is driven by President Mnangagwa’s “whole-of-government and society” approach, which clusters ministries based on their interconnected roles in national development.
“In case of our industry, we work with the Ministry of Transport for accessibility,” Rwodzi explained.
“We work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Information for Brand Zimbabwe, which is international.”
Foreign Affairs, she noted, plays a critical role through Zimbabwe’s diplomatic missions abroad, which are being leveraged to strengthen the country’s international image and attract visitors.
“We also work with Home Affairs for immigration and visa issues,” she added, acknowledging that easing entry processes is a key priority for improving the visitor experience.
Higher education is another vital partner, with Rwodzi noting that the ministry is working with universities and colleges to develop innovative frameworks that support tourism modernisation and digital transformation.
But perhaps the most visible collaboration is in the area of gastronomy—a programme spearheaded by the First Lady, which has put Zimbabwe on the continental culinary map.
“We work with Women Affairs and Community on community-based tourism and the gastronomy programme,” Rwodzi said. “The First Lady was recently named the Queen of Gastronomy in Africa, and we are now working with other African countries through this programme.”
The gastronomy initiative, she explained, is a perfect example of how different ministries can come together to achieve shared goals. Women Affairs provides community-level engagement, Higher Education involves students and research institutions, and Foreign Affairs facilitates regional cooperation.
“So we have six ministries that we work with,” Rwodzi said. “This stakeholder engagement is about the whole-of-society approach to achieve the goals and strategies of the ministry.”
The inter-ministerial cooperation is expected to yield tangible results across multiple fronts, from improved transport infrastructure and streamlined visa processes to enhanced branding and innovative tourism products.
Rwodzi emphasised that the approach is not merely administrative but strategic, ensuring that tourism development is integrated into broader national planning under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategies.
“We recognise that tourism is a multi-sectoral industry,” she said. “Its success depends on coordinated action across government, the private sector, local authorities, communities, academia, and development partners.”
As the consultations on the National Tourism Sector Strategy (2026–2030) continue across the country, the message from the minister is clear: tourism is everyone’s business, and it will take a united government to make it fly.
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