Zimbabwe’s tourism receipts increased by 6% during the first half of 2026 to US$537 million, up from US$508 million recorded in the same period last year, backed by a surge in both international arrivals and domestic travel, official figures show.

Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said domestic and international tourist arrivals reached at least 792,000 during the first six months of the year.

Ncube said the sector’s financial performance highlights growing economic value from visitors beyond headline traffic volumes.

“This is a significant development which demonstrates that the recovery is not only reflected in the number of tourists entering the country, but also in the amount of economic value being generated from tourism,” Ncube said at the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe World Tourism Investment Expo Forum.

The growth in revenues coincided with a 6.1% quarter-on-quarter increase in international tourist arrivals during the second quarter of 2026, while domestic tourism trips surged 27% from approximately 5 million in the first half of 2025 to 6.4 million in the first half of 2026.

In parallel with expanding visitor earnings, capital inflows into the sector expanded rapidly. The Minister said tourism investments totaled approximately US$132 million in the first half of 2026, following a 438% surge in investment recorded in the first quarter of the year.

Tourism sector investments stood at US$194.5 million in 2025, up from US$190.5 million in 2024, contributing to over US$1 billion attracted during the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) 2021–2025 period.

Addressing institutional investors and global hospitality brands, Ncube noted that approximately US$500 million worth of hotel infrastructure projects are currently at various stages of development across the country, aimed for completion by 2030.

In Harare, he said 2,593 hotel rooms are under construction, 2,402 rooms are at the tender or financial-closure stage, and 2,000 rooms are planned as greenfield projects.

He said local pension capital is driving much of the sector’s expansion, with institutions such as the Public Service Commission Pension Fund, ZESA Pension Fund, Government Pension Fund, Old Mutual, NRZ Pension Fund, Unified Councils Pension Fund, and Mining Industry Pension Fund deploying equity into hotel assets.

He noted that international chains including Accor, Grand Hyatt, Four Seasons, Radisson Blu, and Hilton are also expanding their regional footprint in Zimbabwe.

To sustain growth, the Minster said the government is promoting major spatial developments, including the 1,200-hectare Masuwe Special Economic Zone near Victoria Falls and integrated tourism, water-based, and leisure infrastructure around the Tokwe-Mukosi dam in Masvingo.

Ncube stressed that project execution relies on converting concepts into commercially viable structures to capture long-term capital.

“A tourism project is not automatically an investment; it requires a credible promoter, sound business model, appropriate financing, strong governance, secure approvals and a clear path to returns,” Ncube added, encouraging asset managers to utilise Real Estate Investment Trusts and collective investment schemes.