By Sharon Chimenya
MASVINGO — As the curtains fell on Friday at the September Sports Tourism Carnival, Masvingo Province was officially designated as the permanent annual host of this vibrant event.
Organisers have promised that next year’s festivities will be even grander and more exciting, expected to draw an even larger crowd and further elevate Masvingo’s profile as a premier sports tourism destination.
The September Sports Tourism Carnival started on September 1 and featured teams from tertiary institutions in all ten provinces of the country, competing in various disciplines such as volleyball, tennis, cricket, netball, pool, and golf.
The sports carnival serves as a precursor to the 19th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbabwe Tourism Expo, which will be held from September 9th to 12th at the Gymkhana Tourism Park.
Speaking during the closing ceremony at Mucheke Stadium on Friday, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, promised a bigger and better sports carnival next year, once again to be held in the province.
“This is just the beginning. Let me promise you, next year it is going to be bigger and better. This was just a pilot for us to see if it was possible and whether we had the buy-in from the Vice-Chancellors, the students, the lecturers, and the community. After this, next year it will be much better— that we promise,” she said.
“This is an event that we have entrusted to Masvingo. We are not going to take it to Kariba or any other part of the country. Just like last year, when we officially announced that Manicaland will host the Save Beach Party annually, in October we will meet at Save for that event in Manicaland. Masvingo Province will permanently host the sports tournament every year. Next year, all students are invited to return, and there must be improvement from what you have seen today. This is a challenge to all of us.”
She said the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture are working together to identify new tourism products that will accelerate sports tourism.
She said that if expanding Mucheke Stadium is necessary to host national and international events, then it should be upgraded to benefit both the athletes and the community at large.
“Our responsibility, therefore, is to identify new tourism products here in Masvingo— new markets and new platforms for accelerating sports tourism. To achieve an upper middle-income society in Masvingo through sports and tourism, we look forward to being allocated new space by the Masvingo City Council. I know it is your objective as the Ministry of Sport, and it is also our objective as the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry,” she said.
“If Mucheke Stadium is to be expanded or if we are to build other facilities, let’s make them state-of-the-art and up to international standards so that tourism grows, Masvingo itself grows, and our sporting disciplines grow. When people come here, they must be able to stay here. That means there should be accommodation structures in Mucheke; this will promote township tourism. A state-of-the-art restaurant will also need to be established so that visitors can buy food and the community can sell their products to the restaurant. This will help make Vision 2030 tangible.”
Meanwhile, at the same event, the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Lieutenant General (Rtd) Anselem Sanyatwe, said that sport has become a significant contributor to tourism.
He said it is therefore essential to position sports as a vehicle for attracting visitors.
“The Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture recognises that sport is no longer simply an activity for competition; it has become a significant contributor to tourism promotion, economic development, employment creation, and community development. When athletes, team officials, supporters, and visitors travel to sporting events, they create demand for accommodation, transport, restaurants, entertainment, cultural experiences, crafts, and other services. This is essential for sports tourism,” he said.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with remarkable sporting talent, beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and world-class tourist attractions. We must therefore position sports as a vehicle for attracting visitors, generating investment, and creating opportunities for our people.”
He said the sports carnival provides an excellent platform to demonstrate the potential of sports tourism and is fully aligned with the government’s national development agenda and aspirations of achieving an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
