Zimbabwe’s tourism story is often told through its waterfalls, wildlife, heritage, gastronomy, hospitality and landscapes. But at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s historic inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM), a different story took centre stage, that is, the story of an institution choosing transparency, accountability and good governance as the foundation upon which Destination Zimbabwe must now be marketed, and experienced.
The significance of the AGM was captured by the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, who described it as “a historic occasion” and “a significant milestone in strengthening governance, accountability, transparency and stakeholder engagement within our tourism sector.”
Minister Rwodzi framed the meeting not as ceremony, but as a turning point, saying: “The convening of this first-ever Annual General Meeting is more than a statutory requirement; it is a demonstration of institutional maturity, accountability and a commitment to good corporate governance.”
For ZTA, the AGM publicly opened space for performance to be interrogated, leadership to be held accountable and stakeholders to participate more meaningfully in shaping national destination marketing. As Minister Rwodzi put it, it marked “the beginning of a new chapter for the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority — one grounded in transparency, performance and stakeholder confidence.”
That message matters because tourism is a confidence industry. Tourists follow trust, and investors follow stability. The Minister was candid about the governance journey that preceded the AGM, noting that ZTA had operated without a Board from 2023 to 2025 after government suspended the previous Board over concerns linked to “acts of omission and commission associated with the previous administration.” She said the process created room for “institutional renewal, governance reforms, and corrective interventions, including the forensic audit process initiated in 2023.”
The appointment of a substantive Board effective 31 December 2025 and a substantive Chief Executive Officer, Dr George Manyaya, effective 1 February 2026 gave ZTA the leadership structure required to restore institutional credibility. The Minister said under Board Chairperson Farai Chimba and CEO Dr Manyaya, “the team has hit the ground running,” adding that their commitment to “restoring systems, rebuilding confidence and strengthening governance structures is commendable.”
In tourism business terms, governance is part of the destination product. A well-governed tourism authority gives confidence to international buyers, investors, airlines, hotel brands, local operators and communities. That is why the Minister’s reminder that “Good governance is not an event — it is a culture” sits at the heart of this new ZTA story.
The governance reset is also being matched by a renewed partnership agenda. One of the major milestones announced at the AGM was government’s approval of the relaunch of the Tourism Joint Marketing Committee (JMC), a collaborative platform between industry and ZTA dedicated to destination marketing, market development and coordinated tourism promotion.
Minister Rwodzi said “tourism competitiveness demands collective action,” adding: “No single institution can effectively market Destination Zimbabwe alone.”
The relaunch of the JMC recognises that Zimbabwe’s destination story needs coordinated promotion, shared market intelligence and stronger public-private sector collaboration. The Minister urged the Committee to “move with speed, urgency and purpose to establish clear deliverables, coordinate destination marketing efforts and unlock new opportunities in both domestic and international markets.”