Faith Ndou
MASVINGO-Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, has vowed to promote sports tourism in Masvingo province, saying it will spur the sector’s growth and enable national branding.
In an interview with The Midweek Watch at Masvingo Sports Club yesterday, where Zimbabwe’s Under-19 cricket team was playing against New Zealand, Rwodzi said her ministry is committed to using sport as a vehicle to attract both local and international tourists.
“As a ministry, we are working towards promoting sports tourism through the coming in of tourists to the province,” she said.
Rwodzi highlighted that international visitors who travelled to Masvingo for the cricket matches also visited Great Zimbabwe Monuments and other sites and left with positive impressions of the country.
“The international tourists who came for these games felt good to be at Great Zimbabwe. They experienced Zimbabwe in a positive way and this helps to market Masvingo Province and the nation at a global stage,” she said.
She further revealed that the ministry is planning to host the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo 2026 in Masvingo as part of efforts to strengthen sports and tourism linkages.
“We are planning to host Sanganai 2026 in Masvingo and a week before the main event, we will have a lined-up multi sports tournaments,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She added that the tournament will involve all sporting disciplines, with participants drawn from primary schools, secondary schools and tertiary institutions, positioning Masvingo as a hub for sports tourism.
“The Ministry will engage the business community so that our tourism industry is promoted and benefits from these sporting activities,” she said.
Rwodzi said the initiative is expected to boost local tourism, create business opportunities and position Masvingo Province as a leading destination for sports tourism, while also strengthening Zimbabwe’s image as a preferred host for international sporting and a premier tourist destination.
In 2025 Forbes named Zimbabwe as the best country to visit in the world.
