By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has officially launched the Women in Tourism and Youth in Tourism National Chapters, formalising the role of women and young people as key drivers of the sector’s growth and development.
The launch, held in Harare on 13 August 2026, follows the establishment of provincial structures in March this year, which saw executive leadership positions filled across all provinces.
The event was presided over by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Permanent Secretary Dr Takaruza Munyanyiwa, with Zimbabwe Tourism Authority CEO Dr George Manyaya outlining the way forward.
In his address, Dr Munyanyiwa declared that the moment marks a pivotal shift: women and youths are no longer just participants in tourism but are now recognised through well-defined structures as key players in the sector’s development and promotion.
“This is the moment where two of the most vital engines of the tourism sector, our women and our youths, follow well-defined structures officially recognised as key players in the development and promotion of tourism in Zimbabwe,” he said.
The formalisation builds on years of groundwork led by the Tourism Patron, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, whose programmes — including Gastronomy Tourism, the Women and Youths Business Forum, and Agric-for-She — have transformed livelihoods and created a foundation for an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
Through her tireless efforts, Zimbabwe has gained international recognition, including listings in Forbes Magazine and Conde Nast, and a Gold Award at the 2026 Chinese Tourists awards.
The First Lady herself has been recognised by the UN Tourism World Board as the “Queen of Gastronomy Tourism in Africa.”
Her Excellency’s impact was also evident in the successful hosting of the 2nd UN Tourism Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa, held in Victoria Falls from 28 April to 1 May 2026 under the theme “Advancing from Empowerment to Leadership”.
Dr Mnangagwa reaffirmed Government’s commitment to practical empowerment programmes designed to create jobs, open markets, and strengthen tourism value chains from the grassroots upward
The sector has demonstrated strong growth momentum, with the first quarter of 2026 registering an 11 percent increase in international tourist arrivals, rising from 347,555 in 2025 to 384,561 in 2026.
Domestic tourism trips grew by 35 percent, from 1.94 million to 2.62 million, while tourism investments recorded a 438 percent increase.
The Government has positioned tourism as a key pillar of socio-economic transformation under the National Development Strategy 2, aligning with President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030.
Dr Munyanyiwa acknowledged that despite women making up a substantial share of the tourism workforce, they remain under-represented in ownership, leadership and decision-making spheres. Youths, while innovative and digitally fluent, have been hesitant to take up opportunities in the sector.
“Today we are saying we have created a way for you, let us work together to change the narrative,” he said.
The Ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Women Affairs to identify players in the sector and assist them with start-up support, particularly women and youths.
The newly appointed national executives face a “mammoth task” to deliver according to the expectations of their members, with responsibility extending from the national to provincial level.
The Ministry has pledged to assist in their endeavours, while the ZTA has outlined a six-point implementation framework to guide the chapters forward.
“The success of the established chapters lies in your hands both at National and Provincial levels,” Dr Munyanyiwa told the incoming leadership. “Be prepared to execute your duties diligently and professionally.”
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