By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Zimbabwe is seeking to transform its rich culinary heritage into a distinctive tourism product as the Government moves to position food at the centre of the country’s efforts to diversify the visitor experience and grow the tourism economy.
The move is being driven by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, which says Zimbabwe’s indigenous foods have the potential to become commercially viable tourism products capable of attracting visitors, creating businesses and generating livelihoods.
Speaking at a Gastronomy Tourism Masterclass held under the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo, Ministry chief director Ms Tariro Musonza said Zimbabwe needed to move beyond viewing food solely as part of its cultural heritage and instead develop it as a commercial tourism product.
“Gastronomy is no longer simply about food. It is an important part of the visitor experience, a vehicle for preserving our heritage and, importantly, a business opportunity,” Musonza said.
Zimbabwe’s culinary heritage is built around a wide range of indigenous ingredients, including traditional grains, vegetables, livestock, wild fruits and herbs, as well as diverse preparation methods passed down through generations.
Government believes these resources can be developed into experiences that appeal to both domestic and international tourists.
Potential products include traditional restaurants, culinary tours, food festivals, farm-to-table experiences, packaged indigenous foods and other food-based tourism enterprises.
The strategy comes as destinations around the world increasingly use cuisine to differentiate themselves in the competitive tourism market, with food becoming an important component of how visitors experience a country’s culture and identity.
For Zimbabwe, the opportunity lies in turning dishes and ingredients that are already part of everyday life in many communities into professionally packaged experiences for tourists.
A visitor, for example, could be offered more than a traditional meal. The experience could include visiting a farm where indigenous crops are grown, learning how a traditional dish is prepared, tasting locally produced foods and hearing the cultural history behind the meal.
Musonza said the Government had developed a Gastronomy Strategy to provide a framework for developing gastronomy as a tourism cluster.
The strategy seeks to strengthen the entire value chain, from farmers and food producers to chefs, hospitality establishments, communities and entrepreneurs.
It is also expected to support investment, innovation, skills development, market access and enterprise growth.
The ministry’s ambition is therefore not simply to promote traditional dishes, but to build an ecosystem around Zimbabwean cuisine.
This includes documenting and preserving indigenous culinary knowledge while improving presentation, food safety and quality.
Musonza said the country must “modernise presentation while retaining authenticity” as it develops commercially viable Zimbabwean gastronomy products.
That balance could prove critical.
While modern presentation and professional standards may make traditional foods more appealing to international visitors, excessive adaptation could risk stripping dishes of the cultural identity that makes them attractive in the first place.
Zimbabwe’s gastronomy push is also being built on its growing profile in African tourism.
The country hosted the first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Victoria Falls in 2024, an event Government says helped position Zimbabwe at the forefront of discussions on the role of food in destination competitiveness, innovation and community development.
The Ministry now wants to translate that international recognition into tangible products and businesses.
Government is also supporting the institutionalisation of gastronomy through plans to establish the Africa International Tourism Academy on Culinary Arts in Victoria Falls.
The academy is expected to focus on skills development, research, innovation and linkages with the tourism industry.
For Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, the challenge will now be moving from strategy to implementation.
The country has the ingredients, culinary traditions and cultural diversity needed to develop a stronger gastronomy offering, but the success of the initiative will depend on whether these assets can be turned into quality, marketable and consistently available tourism experiences.
It will also require stronger collaboration between farmers, chefs, hotels, restaurants, food processors, communities and tourism operators.
Musonza urged participants at the masterclass to use the platform to identify practical business opportunities and partnerships that can continue beyond the event.
The ultimate ambition, she said, was to ensure that Zimbabwean cuisine becomes a distinctive, authentic and competitive tourism product while creating opportunities for enterprise development and economic empowerment.
For a country seeking to broaden its tourism offering beyond wildlife and natural attractions, the next major destination experience could be found not only in its landscapes, but also on the plate.
About Author
