A new player has entered the Australian outbound market with Zimbabwe Tourism wrapping up a two city roadshow this week, promising to be “aggressive” in its approach.
Led by Mr Joe Tapera Mhishi, the Zimbabwe Ambassador to Australasia, and supported by the country’s Tourism Minister, marketing and finance executives, the delegation hosted events and meetings in Sydney and Melbourne.
The team met with travel agents, suppliers, media and some of the 60,000 Zimbabweans currently living in Australia.
The events discussed strategies to promote Zimbabwe as a tourism destination, emphasising its unique selling points, such as its cultural heritage, hospitality. abundance of wildlife and the 2027 Cricket World Cup, which the country is co-hosting.
Asked by Traveltalk how Zimbabwe would differentiate itself in Australia’s competitive outbound market, Barbara Rwodzi, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, had a simple answer.
“Aggressiveness. We will push very hard and we won’t be doing things in the usual way,” she explained.
Agents and suppliers attend the Sydney event
Australia delivered 33,000 tourist arrivals to Zimbabwe in 2024, dipping to 27,347 in 2025. Despite the slight drop, Australia still ranks as Zimbabwe’s fourth-largest source market by visitor numbers but, crucially, the leading market by spend.
“This is why we want more Australians coming to our country, because arrival numbers are great, but spending is the big deal,” said Ms Rwodzi.
That economic reality is driving a targeted effort to convert high-value Australian interest into longer stays and multi-destination itineraries beyond the well-known Victoria Falls.
Families, couples, young travellers and the luxury segment are all targets as Zimbabwe spends big on improving infrastructure and promotion of lesser-known destinations within the country.
“We’re competing with many destinations, but our culture, hospitality and natural heritage set us apart,” added Ms Rwodzi. “We’re trying to create a bridge between Zimbabwe and the world.
“The hospitality – what we offer to those who get a chance to come to our country – is what we think is the biggest advantage of Zimbabwe.”
Looking ahead, Ms Rwodzi tied Zimbabwe’s tourism ambitions here to improved air access from Australia, including the possibility of reviving historic links with Qantas, who used to fly to Harare.
“Zimbabwe is being revived now and as we see more Australians wanting to come to Zimbabwe, we must revive our link with Qantas,” she added.
“Accessibility then becomes a little bit cheaper and spending for accommodation and activities will be more affordable.”
Ambassador Mhishi said the delegation’s presence in Australia was aimed at reviving dormant links between the two countries.
“The tourism minister has come here because she’s mindful of the history between Australia and Zimbabwe and how strong the tourism sector was. The tourism sector was the linchpin in driving and entrenching the relationship between our countries.
“A journey of 1,000 miles starts with the first mile and the minister is taking that first mile along the trajectory of reviving the relationship in the tourism sector.”
Summing up, Ms Rwodzi had a simple message for anyone considering travelling to or working with Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe is enemy to none and friends to all. We are open for business.”
Main image (l to r): Mr Joe Tapera Mhishi, the Zimbabwe Ambassador to Australasia; Ms Barbara Rwodzi, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Mrs Alice Kudita, Acting Marketing Executive Director
# The Sanganai/Hlanganani-Dzimbahwe World Tourism Expo, Zimbabwe’s flagship tourism trade fair, runs from September 9 to 12. Interested trade partners are invited to apply to attend.
