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Uganda’s Southern Africa Tourism Roadshow arrived in Harare on Tuesday, bringing with it a high-level delegation led by Deputy High Commissioner (Regional), Ambassador Kintu Nyanga, and twenty Destination Management Companies (DMCs) seeking to strengthen tourism, trade, and cultural collaboration with Zimbabwe.
The Roadshow, coordinated by Afrireps Consult under Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Economic and Commercial Diplomacy Programme, is part of a six-city tour covering Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Gaborone, Windhoek, and Harare. Its goal is to position Uganda as a premier destination while forging direct business-to-business partnerships across the region. Speaking in Harare at the Holiday Inn, Ambassador Nyanga said Southern Africa remains one of Uganda’s most promising complementary markets.
“Between 2004 and 2014, Uganda recorded 69 percent growth in visitors from Southern Africa. The region has strong traveller interest, high spending patterns, and a clear appetite for wildlife, gorilla experiences, adventure travel, and multi-destination itineraries,” he said.
He added that visitors from the region spend an average of US$1,250 per trip — 30 percent more than other international tourists — making Southern Africa a high-value priority market.
The Deputy Ambassador emphasised that the Roadshow is a “strategic meeting” that has travelled through six cities, creating visibility for Uganda, showcasing products, and building sustainable partnerships. Zimbabwean tour operators attended in large numbers, engaging with Ugandan DMCs on new product offerings and collaborative opportunities.
He also celebrated Uganda’s distinctive cuisine, highlighting matooke, a popular plantain-based dish as part of the country’s unique cultural draw.
Uganda’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Paul Amoru, who addressed the launch event earlier in Johannesburg, said the Roadshow is designed to “increase visitor flows, deepen commercial and cultural ties, and facilitate structured engagements between Uganda’s Destination Management Companies and the Southern African travel trade.”
The event’s Harare edition, held at Holiday Inn, followed a structured programme including keynote remarks, a Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) presentation, a Destination Uganda showcase, and an extended B2B networking session.
Representing ZTA, marketing official Averil Chimedza presented Zimbabwe as a “World of Wonders,” highlighting the country’s top ranking on Forbes’ 2025 tourist destinations list and its accessibility through 16 international airlines. She showcased major attractions including Victoria Falls, the beacon of Zimbabwe tourism, Hwange National Park, Lake Kariba, Great Zimbabwe Monument, and the scenic Eastern Highlands.
Chimedza emphasised that Zimbabwe’s cultural richness, diverse gastronomy, and famously friendly people make it a leading destination for adventure, heritage, and culinary tourism.
Uganda, branded the “Pearl of Africa,” showcased its own attractions, including over 450 mountain gorillas, the famed tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, more than 1,000 bird species, big-five safaris, chimpanzee trekking, and growing MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) infrastructure.
The Vice President of the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe, Farai Chimba, encouraged cross-promotion, suggesting that Zimbabwean gastronomy be taken to Uganda and other African destinations.
Delegates from both countries agreed on the potential for multi-country safari packages that merge Uganda’s gorillas and primate circuits with Zimbabwe’s signature wildlife and adventure offerings.
They all shared a commitment to deeper regional tourism cooperation and broader market access, signaling renewed momentum for Uganda-Zimbabwe tourism partnerships.
