By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
HARARE — Zimbabwe is pushing for a more integrated Southern African tourism market that would allow international visitors to combine major attractions across several countries as part of a single, seamless journey.
The proposal, outlined by Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Tongai Mnangagwa at a CEOs Roundtable at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel on Tuesday, calls for countries in the region to move beyond marketing themselves as stand-alone destinations and instead develop interconnected tourism experiences.
Under such a model, a visitor could combine Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe with Chobe National Park and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, continue to South Africa’s Kruger National Park and end the trip along Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coastline.
Mnangagwa said African countries needed to rethink how they compete for international tourists as global travel patterns change and destinations face increasing pressure to offer diverse and compelling experiences.
“Tourism is no longer simply about attracting visitors to individual countries,” he said.
“It is about building competitive destinations, connected economies and compelling regional experiences.”
He said Africa needed to move from selling destinations in isolation to selling African tourism experiences, allowing visitors to experience several countries as part of one journey.
For Southern Africa, such an approach could build on the geographical proximity of some of the region’s most prominent tourism attractions.
Victoria Falls, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, could form part of a wider circuit incorporating Botswana’s Chobe and Okavango, Namibia’s landscapes, South Africa’s wildlife and urban tourism offerings and Mozambique’s beaches.
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique and other countries should make it easier for international travellers to move between destinations.
“Our borders should not become barriers to tourism. Instead, they should become gateways to multi-country African experiences,” he said.
Connectivity remains a challenge
Turning that vision into reality, however, would require significant improvements in regional connectivity.
Mnangagwa identified air connectivity as fundamental to tourism growth, saying governments should work with airlines, airports and the private sector to expand routes, increase frequencies and improve connections within Africa and to key international markets.
“Every new route is a new gateway to tourism, investment and economic opportunity,” he said.
The issue is particularly important for multi-country tourism circuits because an attractive itinerary is of limited value if travellers cannot move efficiently between destinations.
A regional tourism product would require closer coordination between destinations, airlines, airports, tour operators and other private-sector players.
It would also require tourism businesses to develop packages that allow travellers to purchase and experience several destinations as one journey rather than having to organise each leg independently.
Borders could hold the key
Border management is another critical component of the proposed regional tourism model.
Mnangagwa’s call for borders to become “gateways” highlights one of the major challenges facing efforts to deepen regional tourism integration — making movement between neighbouring countries sufficiently simple for international visitors.
A traveller considering a multi-country safari and beach holiday could be discouraged if moving between destinations involves complicated visa arrangements, lengthy border procedures or inadequate transport connections.
The minister therefore called for greater regional cooperation, including stronger tourism circuits, improved air and border connectivity, cross-border private-sector investment and joint partnership.
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