Hon Ezra Chadzamira
Masvingo Province has moved decisively to lay the groundwork for the successful hosting of the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, with the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira, set to host a high-level Sanganai/Hlanganani Preparatory Business Brunch on 30 January 2026. The engagement is designed to provide the Minister with a platform to meet, engage, and interact directly with captains of industry and key tourism stakeholders as part of early planning for the global tourism showcase scheduled for September 2026.The high-level engagement will be hosted at a local hotel in Masvingo and will bring together senior business leaders, tourism operators, investors, financiers, and development partners at a critical preparatory stage. The focus is on ensuring that the province is fully equipped to capitalise on the economic opportunities that hosting Sanganai/Hlanganani presents, both during the event and in its aftermath. Past editions of the Expo have demonstrated a substantial boost to local business, including hospitality, transport, retail, arts and crafts, and services, highlighting the critical need to involve the business community from the outset to maximise these benefits.
Addressing the strategic importance of the engagement, Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa, Permanent Secretary in the office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, emphasised that consolidating the business community is fundamental to the success of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. He noted that tourism is inherently driven by the private sector, making it imperative for government to integrate business leaders into the planning, decision-making, and implementation processes of the programme.
Dr Pazvakavambwa highlighted that the preparatory work for the 2026 Expo is firmly anchored on His Excellency the President’s development mantra of leaving no one and no place behind, as well as the objectives of National Development Strategy 1 and National Development Strategy 2. He stressed that early engagement with industry stakeholders ensures that the Expo does not only showcase Masvingo as a tourism destination, but also delivers tangible and sustainable economic benefits for the province, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs, expanding markets for goods and services, and leaving a lasting business and investment legacy.
The Preparatory Business Brunch will also serve as a strategic platform to strengthen collaboration between provincial leadership, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, while enabling stakeholders to collectively identify priorities around infrastructure readiness, accommodation capacity, service standards, destination marketing, and investment mobilisation.
Masvingo’s hosting of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in September 2026 follows Mutare Province and is part of government’s strategic shift to rotate the hosting of the flagship tourism event across provinces. This policy shift departs from the traditional concentration of the Expo in Harare and Bulawayo, reflecting government’s commitment to devolution, decentralisation, and balanced regional development.
With preparations now underway, the convening of captains of industry at the January 30 high-level brunch signals Masvingo’s intent to adopt a collaborative, inclusive, and forward-looking approach. The engagement positions the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo not only as a global tourism showcase, but as a powerful catalyst for business growth, enterprise development, and long-term economic transformation in line with Zimbabwe’s national development vision.
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