Zimbabwe is poised to assume a more visible role in global tourism governance in 2026 as it prepares to host a series of United Nations tourism gatherings, a development that government officials describe as strategically significant for the country’s international engagement. According to reporting by Xinhua, the meetings will include the 23rd Session of the UN Tourism Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, the Second UN Tourism Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa, and a capacity building workshop convened under the auspices of UN Tourism.
The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Zhemu Soda, stated in Harare that the events form part of Zimbabwe’s wider diplomatic and developmental trajectory as it works towards hosting activities linked to the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism in 2027. Coverage by allAfrica and The Herald similarly characterises the gatherings as a notable endorsement of Zimbabwe’s growing participation in multilateral tourism platforms.
The forthcoming Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa is listed on the official UN Tourism website, where it is framed as part of an ongoing continental dialogue on gender equity, enterprise development and inclusive growth within the tourism sector. UN Tourism, formerly the United Nations World Tourism Organization, has increasingly foregrounded sustainability, resilience and community participation in its policy frameworks, aligning tourism development with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Zimbabwe’s selection as host reflects both its established tourism assets and its evolving policy positioning. The country is home to the Mosi oa Tunya Victoria Falls, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989 for its exceptional geological and aesthetic value. UNESCO describes the site as the largest sheet of falling water in the world, recognised for its outstanding natural beauty and geomorphological significance UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The Great Zimbabwe National Monument, inscribed in 1986, stands as a material testament to a complex pre colonial civilisation and remains central to national and regional historical consciousness UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Tourism constitutes a significant component of Zimbabwe’s services economy. According to the World Bank’s Zimbabwe Economic Update 2025, services including tourism have contributed to projected economic recovery alongside agriculture and mining World Bank. At the global level, the World Travel and Tourism Council reports that travel and tourism contributed 10.9 trillion United States dollars to global GDP in 2024, underscoring the sector’s systemic importance WTTC Economic Impact Research. While national level disaggregated figures fluctuate year by year, official statements in 2024 and 2025 have pointed to rising arrivals and revenues, reflecting gradual recovery following the pandemic era disruptions.
Within this broader context, the hosting of UN Tourism meetings may be understood as both symbolic and practical. Symbolically, it situates Zimbabwe within ongoing continental and global conversations about sustainability, resilience and gender equity in tourism governance. Practically, such forums create space for engagement between policymakers, researchers, development partners and private sector actors from across Africa and beyond. They also offer opportunities for local institutions and enterprises to interface directly with international networks.
From a pan African perspective, Zimbabwe’s role in convening these dialogues contributes to a wider recalibration of how African destinations articulate their tourism narratives. Rather than positioning African states solely as sites of natural spectacle or cultural heritage for external consumption, current policy discourse increasingly emphasises agency, knowledge exchange and intra African collaboration. The focus on women’s empowerment in tourism in particular reflects continent wide priorities around inclusive growth, entrepreneurship and community based development.
It remains to be seen how these high level engagements will translate into long term structural gains. However, Zimbabwe’s hosting of the 23rd Meeting of the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability and associated events is verifiable through multiple sources and forms part of an established UN Tourism calendar. As preparations continue, the gatherings are likely to draw regional and international attention to Southern Africa’s evolving tourism landscape, while also prompting renewed reflection on sustainability, resilience and equity within the sector.
