Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

What Zimbabwe Tourism Authority does

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is the statutory National Tourism Organization of Zimbabwe, established in 1996 under the Tourism Act Chapter 14:20 to develop, manage, promote, and market Zimbabwe as a tourist destination. ZTA is a government parastatal under the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry (currently led by Hon. Barbara Rwodzi) and is governed by a Board of Directors, with Dr. George Manyaya appointed CEO in January 2026. The authority serves three principal constituencies: registered tourism operators (hotels, lodges, safari operators, restaurants, and entertainment venues across 27 designated facility categories under Statutory Instrument 106 of 1996), international tourists (with dedicated tourist offices in Abu Dhabi, London, Beijing, and Frankfurt), and domestic tourists (via campaigns such as "Nhaka Yedu, Ilifa Lethu, Our Heritage").

ZTA's operational footprint is anchored by a digital tourism ecosystem centered on zimbabwetourism.net, which functions as a destination marketing portal, operator registry, statistics dashboard, and content hub. Supporting assets include Zimbho (online tourism packages platform), the annual Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo as a flagship B2B event, the Amai's Traditional Cookout Competition for gastronomy tourism, and a Tourism Satellite Account for sector statistics. Technology investments in 2026 include digitalized inspection systems and a digital transformation partnership with NetOne and POTRAZ providing hardware and connectivity across offices and tourist resorts.

The business model is non-commercial in the traditional sense: ZTA generates revenue through statutory tourism levies, registration and grading fees from operators, and tourism audits, while providing destination promotion, standards enforcement, and market intelligence at no direct charge to tourists. The authority is funded under Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy frameworks and operates as a statutory body rather than a private enterprise, with no venture or private equity ownership.

Name

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

Legal name

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority

Website

https://zimbabwetourism.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is the statutory National Tourism Organization of Zimbabwe, established in 1996 under the Tourism Act to promote Zimbabwe as a tourist destination, regulate and grade tourism operators across 27 facility categories, and collect statutory levies. It serves operators, international tourists, and domestic tourists through 11 offices and a digital ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Tourism Organization Services

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Travel Intelligence (Emissions, SAF, impact data) (THALAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Impact Monitoring, Verification & Reporting (MRV) Tools (Impact KPIs, Compliance Reporting) (THAAANAN), Guest Experience & Engagement (CRM, Messaging, Loyalty) (THALACAF)

Keywords

• Destination marketing
• Tourism regulation
• Tourism promotion
• Visitor information services
• Tourism standards enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tourism Levy Collection: Revenue collection from tourism operators through statutory levies mandated under the Tourism Act Chapter 14:20 of 1996
2. Registration and Licensing Fees: Fees collected from registration and grading of designated tourist facilities across 27 categories as defined by Statutory Instrument 106 of 1996
3. Tourism Audits: Compliance monitoring and audit services for tourism industry operators

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) is a government statutory body that develops, promotes, markets, and regulates Zimbabwe as a tourist destination. It runs destination marketing campaigns, registers and grades tourism operators across 27 facility categories under the Tourism Act, enforces service standards, and operates the Zimbho tourism booking platform and the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. ZTA also conducts tourism research, publishes statistics via its Tourism Satellite Account, and engages in bilateral tourism partnerships with other nations.

Product overview

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority operates a comprehensive digital tourism ecosystem centered on its main website platform (zimbabwetourism.net), which functions as the primary gateway for destination promotion and tourism services. The portfolio includes Zimbho for travel packages, the annual Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo as a flagship B2B event, the National Cook Out Competition (Amai's Traditional Cookout) as a gastronomy tourism initiative, and supporting services such as a Statistics Dashboard, Market Analysis Reports, Tourism Operator Database, Video Gallery, and registration/feedback systems. The offering operates as a single unified platform with multiple functional modules serving both B2B and B2C segments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zimbho Tourism Packages Platform An online booking and tourism packages platform operated by ZTA that allows visitors to browse, plan, and book tourism experiences and travel packages across Zimbabwe, including access to a video gallery of destinations.
• Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo Zimbabwe's premier annual tourism expo and Africa travel trade fair bringing together tourism operators, international buyers, travel agents, and industry stakeholders for business networking, B2B meetings, destination promotion, and industry development.
• National Cook Out Competition (Amai's Traditional Cookout) A gastronomy tourism initiative and competition that celebrates Zimbabwe's culinary heritage and promotes indigenous cuisine as a tourism product, implemented across all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe.
• Statistics Dashboard An online data tool providing access to tourism statistics, performance metrics, and economic contribution data for Zimbabwe's tourism sector, supporting research and market intelligence.
• Market Analysis Reports Research publications providing market intelligence and analysis on Zimbabwe's tourism industry trends, performance, and investment opportunities for operators, investors, and policymakers.
• Tourism Operator Database A searchable public registry of registered and licensed tourism operators and designated tourist facilities across Zimbabwe, supporting compliance visibility and consumer search.
• Registration and Licensing of Tourism Facilities Statutory service that registers, grades, and licenses designated tourist facilities in Zimbabwe across 27 categories under the Tourism Act Chapter 14:20 of 1996, enabling operators to legally operate and earn inclusion in the official Operator Database.
• Tourism Audits and Compliance Monitoring Compliance monitoring and audit services delivered to tourism industry operators to enforce service standards, conduct facility inspections, and ensure regulatory compliance across Zimbabwe's tourism sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tourism contributed 10% to Zimbabwe's GDP growth in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Namibia and South AfricaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Three-destination tourism partnership anchored on digital marketing, unveiled on sidelines of UN Tourism meetings. Strategic collaboration to increase destination visibility and boost tourist arrivals across the three Southern African destinations.
• NetOnecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2026Landmark digital transformation partnership where NetOne donated 50 computers, 35 printers, Wi-Fi hotspots at tourist resorts and offices, and co-branding visibility at strategic locations. This collaboration advances the digital thrust of National Development Strategy 2 through ICT integration and data-driven systems.
• POTRAZsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2026Contributed 20 laptops to strengthen operational capacity across the tourism sector in support of digital transformation initiatives.
• Republic of GhanaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Memorandum of Understanding in tourism signed between Zimbabwe and Ghana, establishing framework for joint marketing and promotion programmes, tourism research and knowledge exchange, product development, skills training, and investment facilitation through public-private partnerships.
• UN TourismflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026MoU signed ahead of ITB Berlin 2026 strengthening cooperation in sustainable tourism development, with UN Tourism Secretary-General visiting Victoria Falls and participating in Committee on Sustainable Tourism Meeting 2026 in Victoria Falls.
• Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZTA operates under the Ministry led by Hon. Barbara Rwodzi (MP), implementing government tourism policy and national development strategies including Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 & 2.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brand USA: United States' national destination marketing organization, with substantially larger budget and similar statutory-style mandate for inbound tourism promotion, international offices, and public-private partnership models. Reference peer for national-level destination marketing scale.
• VisitBritain: British national tourism agency with global marketing network and similar destination promotion mandate. Comparable to ZTA's London office footprint and inbound tourism focus, though operating at significantly larger scale and budget.
• Tourism Authority of Thailand: Established Asian NTO with comparable mandate for destination marketing, regulatory oversight of tourism operators, and global office network. Reference peer for NTO operating model in non-Western emerging market.
• Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing: Mature destination marketing organization running the ZTA-style international office network (Dubai is also Abu Dhabi's geographic neighbor to ZTA's UAE office). Reference peer for destination marketing best practice in Middle East source market where ZTA operates.

Direct peers

• Ghana Tourism Authority: Ghana's national tourism authority, recently entered MoU with ZTA for joint marketing, research exchange, product development, and investment facilitation. African NTO peer of comparable size and institutional structure.
• Kenya Tourism Board: Kenya's national tourism body, with comparable statutory mandate for destination promotion, international marketing offices, and regulatory oversight of tourism operators. Competes directly for wildlife and safari tourism arrivals into East/Southern Africa.
• Tanzania Tourist Board: National tourism organization of Tanzania with a similar wildlife-and-natural-wonders value proposition (Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar). Competes with Zimbabwe for safari and nature-based tourism share across Africa.
• Namibia Tourism Board: National tourism organization for Namibia, co-partner with ZTA in the three-country digital marketing partnership unveiled alongside UN Tourism meetings. Comparable mandate promoting wildlife, natural wonders, and cultural tourism across Southern Africa.
• South African Tourism: South Africa's national tourism agency responsible for destination marketing, international representation, and tourism promotion. Direct peer given shared mandate, regional operating geography, and the active three-country partnership between ZTA, Namibia Tourism, and South African Tourism.
• Botswana Tourism Organisation: Botswana's national tourism authority, with comparable mandate promoting the Okavango Delta, Chobe, and wildlife tourism. Direct competitor for high-end safari tourism in Southern Africa.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Ztaupdates
• Instagraminstagram.com/ZimBho-Official
• Xx.com/ZtaUpdates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zimbabwe-tourism-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zimbabwe Tourism Authority