Staff ReporterTourism receipts in Zimbabwe reached approximately $580 million in the nine months ending September 2022, a 137.7% increase from the $244 million earned over the same period in the previous year.
This growth can be attributed to increased promotion of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) tourism and the easing of travel restrictions as countries began to emerge from COVID-19 lockdowns.
Investment in the sector also rose to $306 million from January to September of this year, compared to $90 million during the same period in the previous year.
The tourism industry was heavily impacted by measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19, including global travel restrictions.
Tourist arrivals also saw an increase, with international arrivals rising by 256% and African visitors increasing by 130% from the same period in the previous year.
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) remains optimistic about reaching the goal of a $5 billion tourism industry by 2025, despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on the global tourism sector.