THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has given tourism players until Friday to register or risk closure, as it steps up enforcement of regulations governing the country’s billion-dollar industry.
In a statement, ZTA said a nationwide inspection blitz targeting unregistered operators would begin on March 1 in conjunction with law enforcement agencies.
Section 36 of the Tourism Act [Chapter 14:20] makes it mandatory for all tourism-related businesses — designated tourist facilities — to register with ZTA. The crackdown aims to restore order in the fast-growing tourism sector.
For too long, unregistered operators have quietly infiltrated Zimbabwe’s tourism sector, undercutting compliant businesses, dodging regulation and exposing visitors to unnecessary risk.
Unregulated facilities damage more than balance sheets. They damage trust.
One bad tourist experience can ripple across review platforms and international markets in minutes. In a digital age where reputation travels faster than planes, Zimbabwe cannot afford regulatory blind spots.
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Registration provides a layer of accountability. If a tourist is aggrieved, they can approach the industry regulator for redress. It also ensures a level playing field among operators, preventing unfair competition from unlicensed establishments.
Authorities say the move is part of broader efforts to safeguard Zimbabwe’s reputation as a premier travel destination.
The tourism sector was projected to record growth of 2,9% in 2025, underpinned by a growing middle-class market, growing domestic and intra-Africa tourism and increased investments.
Its growth has been anchored by aggressive marketing and conducive government policies that include suspensions of duty on capital equipment, motor vehicles and buses imported by tourism operators, among other interventions.
This year the sector is projected to grow by 3,1%, driven by arrivals from major source markets. International tourist arrivals are forecast to reach 1,87 million, up from 1,79 million in 2025, driven by enhanced marketing and greater visibility of Zimbabwe’s iconic destinations, such as Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and the Eastern Highlands.
The government plans to deploy tourism attachés to six emerging markets — Russia, Brazil, Canada, Nigeria, Turkey and Australia — broadening the country’s global footprint.
These pillars seek to make Zimbabwe a prime tourist destination.
All these efforts will come to naught if players are unregulated and it’s a free-for-all.
Players that cannot meet the Friday deadline should by now have approached the regulator for extension.
They must not resist registration. Tourism is not a backyard hustle. It is a strategic national industry, a key foreign currency earner and the country’s window to the world.
The recent uproar created by the ill-treatment of a group of South African tourists by the police must be a wake-up call and jolt authorities to tie all loose ends that might affect the integrity of the tourism product.
Barbara Rwodzi, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister, drove out of town to meet the aggrieved tourists, who pledged to continue promoting the Zimbabwe brand.
Ensuring that all operators are registered is a critical step towards building integrity and accountability.
We urge the authorities to ensure that enforcement is consistent, transparent and free from selective application.
Zimbabwe deserves a tourism industry built on standards, fairness, and accountability.