Prasenjit Chakraborty - Mumbai The Government of Zimbabwe and private sector players are keen to promote the country’s tourism destinations in India.
In this effort, the Zimbabwe Tourism Industry, in association with BRANDit, organised a roadshow in Mumbai. The initiative was driven by Zimbabwe’s private sector players, highlighting India’s growing importance as a key source market. Seventeen exhibitors from hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), luxury tour operators, helicopter operators, and other sectors participated in the event.
Later, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Tongai M. Mnangagwa, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Government of Zimbabwe, expressed encouragement with the results from the Indian market. “When we began focusing on the Indian market, the number of visitors from India was just 3,000. The following year, the figure increased to 17,000. This makes us very optimistic about this market and convinced that Indian tourists will continue to grow.”
Regarding the choice of Mumbai as the venue for the roadshow, Mnangagwa noted that this was his first visit to India and that he recognises the vast potential for growth in this market. “We deliberately chose Mumbai because it is the financial capital of India. From here, we plan to focus on other Indian cities. We aim to explore new territories in the tourism business,” he said.
When asked about the target number of Indian tourists for the current year, Mnangagwa stated that they have set a goal of 34,000. “Given the current trend, I am confident we will achieve this target,” he said.
On the topic of visas, Mnangagwa mentioned that earlier this year, the Government of Zimbabwe announced visa-on-arrival for Indian nationals. “Indians can obtain a visa on arrival. They only need to carry their passports and present them at the designated counters upon arrival in Zimbabwe. No online forms are required,” he explained.
Regarding connectivity, Mnangagwa noted that travellers can choose from airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways. “Emirates flies via Dubai, offering a semi-direct flight,” he said. He also added that efforts are underway to establish direct flights from India.
As for travel trends, Mnangagwa observed that most Indian travellers are young and prefer adventure activities. “Our goal is to popularise Zimbabwe among all segments of Indian travellers,” he said.
Currently, India is the 8th largest source market for Zimbabwe, with the US, UK, and China being the top three source markets.
