Zim to Establish Tourism Council for Fund Oversigh...

Zim to Establish Tourism Council for Fund Oversight

Oscar J. Jeke – Zim Now Reporter

Government has approved the Tourism Amendment Bill, 2025, paving the way for the creation of a Tourism Council that will oversee the disbursement of funds from the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund.

The move is part of broader reforms aimed at improving governance and accountability in the tourism sector.

Information Minister Jenfan Muswere confirmed the Bill’s approval during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing in Harare. He noted that the Bill proposes major amendments to the Tourism Act [Chapter 14:20], aligning it with the Constitution and the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31].

“The Bill promotes gender equality, representation, and universal access in line with provisions set out in the Constitution,” Muswere said.

A central feature of the Bill is the establishment of the Tourism Council, which will ensure that funds from the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund are disbursed in a transparent and accountable manner. The goal is to restore public confidence in tourism financing and ensure fair distribution for development and marketing initiatives.

To strengthen regulation, the Bill empowers authorities to shut down unregistered tourism facilities and requires all registered operations to be publicly listed. Online booking platforms must now register with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.

The proposed law also introduces civil penalties for failing to pay, collect, or remit tourism levies and fees. Operators will be legally required to submit accurate statistics and information to the ZTA to aid in national tourism planning and marketing strategy development.