Zimbabwe between tourism promotion and political reality: ZITF 2026 raised the question of the credibility of the national image
At this year's Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe sought to present the image of a country that wants to position itself more strongly on the regional and international tourism market. The ZITF 2026 fair, held from April 20 to 25, 2026, was conceived as one of the country's main economic and promotional platforms, with an emphasis on connecting industries, regional cooperation and strengthening competitiveness. In that context, tourism received a prominent place, and Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi again emphasized innovation, entrepreneurship and the opportunities the country sees in that sector. But at the same time, a different debate also opened around Zimbabwe: how convincing is the message about an open, hospitable and modern tourist destination if it is accompanied by the political and judicial case of former tourism minister Walter Mzembi, a man who was once one of the most recognizable faces of Zimbabwean tourism.
ZITF 2026 was held in Bulawayo as the 66th edition of one of Zimbabwe's most important economic events. The official theme of the fair was “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries”, and the program included business days, public days, conferences and exhibition activities focused on trade, industry, investment and tourism. For visitors and exhibitors coming to the city,
accommodation in Bulawayo during major fair events becomes part of the broader logistics of such meetings, especially when economic promotion is linked to conferences, bilateral talks and tourism presentations. In promotional terms, such events are not only a place for business presentation, but also a test of the state's ability to organize an international gathering, receive visitors and show what it wants to sell as a national brand.
Tourism as an economic asset and political message
In recent years, tourism in Zimbabwe has increasingly been presented as a sector that can connect natural heritage, cultural offerings, gastronomy, business travel and regional mobility. In official and sectoral appearances, Victoria Falls, national parks, cultural heritage and the potential of conference tourism are particularly highlighted. At ZITF 2026, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority presented a concept focused on heritage tourism, with the message that natural and cultural resources can be an important driver of economic growth and regional integration. This line is consistent with the broader state effort to view tourism not only as a recreational activity, but as part of industrial, transport, hospitality and investment policy.
According to available data and public appearances by Zimbabwean tourism institutions, the authorities are trying to show that the sector is entering a phase of recovery and growth. Reports on tourism trends for 2025 mention growth in arrivals, greater interest from regional markets and increased activity in domestic tourism. Zimstat data for 2025 show that tourism indicators are used as an important signal of the state of the sector, including indices of arrivals and room and bed occupancy. In political communication, these numbers are turned into a message that Zimbabwe is a competitive destination that can attract visitors, investment and international partners. But tourism, especially when connected with national image, does not depend only on the beauty of landscapes and the quality of hotel offerings; it is strongly shaped by perceptions of safety, legal certainty, political stability and trust in institutions.
This is precisely where the sensitive point of this year's tourism story appears. While Barbara Rwodzi emphasized innovation and the ambition for Zimbabwe to be more visible on the global stage on domestic and international platforms, the case of Walter Mzembi was a reminder that the country's international image cannot be separated from the political context. Mzembi, former minister of tourism and later foreign affairs, is publicly associated with earlier attempts to strengthen Zimbabwean tourism diplomacy, including the period in which the country sought to enter international tourism circles more strongly. His current judicial situation is therefore not only a matter of one criminal proceeding, but also part of a broader debate about how the state treats former senior officials, public accountability and institutional credibility.
The case of Walter Mzembi and the shadow over the tourism narrative
Walter Mzembi was arrested in June 2025 after returning to Zimbabwe, and the case is connected with charges of criminal abuse of office and issues from the period of his ministerial mandate. Zimbabwean media reported that the proceedings included previously issued arrest warrants and that the case gained momentum again after his return. In January 2026, the long-awaited trial began before the High Court in Harare, and in February 2026 the court rejected his application for discharge at the close of the prosecution's case, finding that there was a case to answer. Such a procedural decision does not mean a final judgment, but it shows that the proceedings are continuing and that Mzembi must present his defense before the court.
For the tourism sector, the problem is not only that a former minister is in court proceedings. In democratic and legal systems, criminal proceedings against former officials can be a sign of institutional accountability. The question, however, is how the case is perceived by the public and the international community: as a regular fight against the misuse of public resources or as part of political score-settling from the post-Mugabe period. Some commentators and media describe Mzembi's detention as politically burdened, while state and pro-government sources emphasize the judicial dimension and the need to answer the charges. It is precisely this duality that creates a communication risk for a country that at the same time invites tourists, investors and partners to view it as a stable and open destination.
In tourism marketing, reputation is built slowly and damaged quickly. Destinations do not sell only attractions, but also a feeling of reliability. When international promotion meets headlines about detention, lengthy court proceedings and political divisions, the message becomes more complex. Zimbabwe can display innovative stands at the fair, call for regional cooperation and highlight growth in arrivals, but at the same time it must reckon with the fact that international observers will also read political signals. In that sense, ZITF 2026 was not only a space for tourism promotion, but also a mirror of the broader state image.
Barbara Rwodzi and a new phase of tourism diplomacy
In recent months, Barbara Rwodzi has appeared as one of the key faces of Zimbabwean tourism promotion. In international appearances, including the presentation at ITB Berlin 2026, she emphasized the need for Zimbabwe to position itself more strongly among global tourist destinations. In official announcements and tourism media, her appearances were described as part of a broader strategy of visibility, connecting with tourism operators and presenting the country through a unified brand. Such an approach has a clear logic: in competitive global tourism, states must constantly remind the market of their attractions, improve services and create trust among travelers and investors.
At ZITF 2026, that message received a domestic platform. The fair made it possible to present tourism as an industry that includes accommodation, hospitality, transport, cultural content, local communities and international business. For the host city,
the accommodation offer in Bulawayo for fair visitors is important because it shows how much local infrastructure can follow the ambitions of major events. If conference and business tourism are to be developed, the destination must have not only an attractive story, but also functional hotels, transport links, safety, digital accessibility and services that meet the expectations of international guests.
Still, tourism diplomacy cannot fully control the political context. In a country with a sensitive political history, any case involving former senior officials can take on broader meaning. Mzembi is specific because he is not a person outside the tourism sector, but a former minister who was connected with the international promotion of Zimbabwe. Therefore, his fate in public perception can also be read as a symbol of continuity or a break with earlier periods of state policy. For the current minister, this creates a complex communication framework: while she is trying to affirm a new phase of tourism, the public simultaneously sees unresolved disputes around one of the best-known figures from the previous phase.
Sector growth does not remove the question of institutional trust
Data on the growth of tourist arrivals and stronger sectoral activity are important for the economy, but by themselves they do not resolve the question of trust. Tourism is sensitive to the impression of legal predictability, especially when it comes to investments in hotels, air connections, tourism infrastructure and international promotional campaigns. Visitors can make travel decisions based on attractions and price, but conference organizers, tour operators and investors also look at the stability of the system. If a country promotes itself as a destination open to partnerships, then it must convincingly show that institutions are capable of acting transparently, proportionately and in accordance with the rule of law.
Zimbabwean authorities therefore have a dual challenge. On the one hand, they want to highlight tourism recovery, international appearances and the economic benefits brought by the sector. On the other hand, they must answer questions about the judiciary, political competition and the treatment of former officials. If the Mzembi case is communicated exclusively as a judicial matter, the public will still seek answers about the length of the proceedings, detention conditions and the political context. If, however, it is interpreted exclusively as political persecution, the fact that there are concrete charges to which the court seeks an answer is ignored. In the journalistic and public interest, it is crucial to maintain both dimensions: the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial, but also the need for allegations of misuse of public resources to be clarified before the competent institutions.
For tourism, the greatest risk is precisely ambiguity. Destinations can cope with individual political controversies if institutions act credibly and predictably. But if the impression is created that judicial proceedings are slow, selective or politically motivated, this can affect the country's wider reputation. In today's global media environment, tourism campaigns, fair presentations and political news exist in the same information space. A traveler, investor or international partner can see within a few minutes both a promotional video about natural beauty and a report on a controversial trial. For this reason, tourism can increasingly less be separated from the question of good governance.
ZITF as a mirror of ambitions and contradictions
ZITF 2026 showed that Zimbabwe has a clear ambition to strengthen its regional economic and tourism profile. The participation of foreign exhibitors, the official calendar of events and the emphasis on competitive industries point to the desire to position Bulawayo as an important point of business networking. In such an environment, tourism gets a special role because the fair does not promote only products and investments, but also the country itself. Visitors who come to an economic event simultaneously test transport, safety, accommodation, hospitality and urban organization. That is why
accommodation near the ZITF venue in Bulawayo can be viewed as part of broader tourism infrastructure, and not only as a practical need of visitors.
But the same event also exposes a contradiction in the national narrative. The official message speaks of innovation, growth and openness, while political reality warns that international image is not created only at exhibition stands. If Zimbabwe wants to be perceived as a reliable destination, its tourism strategy must be accompanied by strengthening institutions, transparent court processes and clear communication about public accountability. This does not mean that one case can erase all the efforts of the sector, but it can become a symbolic point around which the broader image of the country is re-examined.
For Barbara Rwodzi and tourism institutions, the challenge will be to continue building market visibility, but without ignoring the political issues that affect the perception of the destination. For the judicial system, the challenge is to show that the Walter Mzembi case is conducted lawfully, fairly and without political instrumentalization. For the business and tourism community, it is crucial that sector growth does not rely only on promotional campaigns, but also on conditions that create trust in the long term. ZITF 2026 therefore remains an important promotional moment for Zimbabwe, but also a reminder that the country's tourism brand is not built only with images of natural beauty and fair messages, but also with the way the state resolves its own political and institutional disputes.
Sources:- Zimbabwe International Trade Fair – official information on ZITF 2026, the date of the event, the 66th edition of the fair and the theme of the event (link)- eTurboNews – report on Zimbabwe's tourism promotion at ZITF 2026 and the controversy around Walter Mzembi (link)- Zimbabwe Tourism Authority – announcement on the appearance of tourism institutions at ITB Berlin 2026 and the international promotion of Zimbabwe (link)- The Herald Zimbabwe – report on the appearance of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority at ZITF 2026 and the emphasis on heritage tourism (link)- Zimstat – publication on indices of tourist arrivals and room and bed occupancy for the period up to the fourth quarter of 2025 (link)- NewZimbabwe.com – report on the arrest of Walter Mzembi in June 2025 and confirmation by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (link)- The Herald Zimbabwe – report on the start of Walter Mzembi's trial before the High Court in Harare in January 2026 (link)- ZBC News – report on the court decision rejecting Mzembi's application for discharge at the close of the prosecution's case (link)
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