Boom in Zimbabwe's tourism. What's the connection to the expulsion of migrants in South Africa?

Written by: Mohammed Omran

Zimbabwe is experiencing a growing boom in the sector Tourism The hospitality industry is benefiting from the return of its staff working in South Africa, at a time when waves of xenophobia have driven a large number of Zimbabwean workers to return to their country, coinciding with a significant expansion in tourism investments and the construction of new hotels.

Sources in the hospitality sector in Victoria Falls and Harare indicate that Zimbabwean hotel, lodge, and restaurant staff, whether or not they have official documentation, who left South Africa or returned home to escape rising xenophobia, have become an important support to the rapidly growing local hospitality sector, which needs their expertise.

Hotels and restaurants are employing returning Zimbabweans.

The influx of trained workers returning from South Africa to Zimbabwe is expected to turn into a larger wave, as a result of two key factors: rising xenophobia in South Africa, and the large investments that Zimbabwe’s hospitality sector has seen in recent years.

Tinashe Nyamuduka, who returned to Harare three months ago after spending 18 years in Cape Town working as a wine expert in some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants, says that during the COVID-19 pandemic he expanded his business in producing and bottling his own wine, “Komusha,” which means “home” in the Shona language.

He added: “I sell a lot of wine here in Zimbabwe, but I also provide consulting services to restaurants, especially in customer service. These restaurants are actively looking for new staff and are focusing on attracting Zimbabweans who have gained practical experience in South Africa.”

He noted that well-known South African brands such as “La Parada”, ”Mozambique”, ”Dubio Zero”, and ”Cubana” have become present in Zimbabwe, pointing out that the “Tigers Milk” restaurant opened its branch in Harare last week, and most of its employees were Zimbabweans coming from South Africa.

New hotels in Harare and Victoria Falls

Nyamuduka explained that a large number of new hotels are being built in the capital, Harare, as well as in the Victoria Falls area, saying: “There is a new Hyatt hotel in Harare, and another hotel will be opening soon in Victoria Falls.”

He added that the pace of hotel construction is accelerating significantly, with rising demand for hotel rooms, noting that investment in hotels was one of the sectors in which Zimbabwe lagged behind South Africa for a long time.

Compensating for skills gaps after the coronavirus pandemic

Dave Cooper, tourism and hospitality consultant in Victoria Falls, said that hoteliers followed South Africa’s “March and March” anti-illegal immigrant campaign with a mixture of regret and relief.

He explained that Zimbabwe’s hospitality sector was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a large exodus of experienced workers, especially to South Africa, and when tourist facilities reopened, they faced difficulty in finding the required talent.

He added: “The positive thing for those who had to return home is that many new hotels opened during this period, and the experiences they gained in South Africa became highly sought after.”

Strong recovery in the tourism sector

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s “Tourism Trends and Statistics 2025” report confirmed that the total number of visitors increased by 10% during 2025 compared to 2024, despite a decrease in the number of tourists coming from Europe, Oceania and the Middle East.

These declines were offset by a 16% increase in the number of visitors from other parts of Africa, while those from South Africa accounted for only 28% of the total tourists, including a large number of Zimbabweans returning to visit their families and relatives.

Cooper expects the number of visitors from African countries, especially those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to accelerate as a reaction to what they perceive as growing xenophobia in South Africa.

He said: “The effects of the recent measures in South Africa on the tourism sector may not be immediately apparent, but the reaction will come, and it will be significant.”

Revenues exceed pre-pandemic levels

The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority report indicated that tourism revenues during 2025 exceeded 2019 levels, reaching 104% of pre-COVID-19 pandemic revenues.

The report added that the volume of tourism investments during the past year amounted to about $194 million, equivalent to about 3.1 billion rand.

Sources in the tourism sector confirmed that this growth is expected to continue in the coming years, with the development of new tourist attractions within the national parks of Matosadona, Zambezi, Mana Pools and Hwange, in accordance with international standards.

Skills are more important than nationality

For his part, Brett Tongai, the national president of the South African Hospitality Association, said the real problem is not the nationality of the workers, but rather retaining skills and experience.

He added: “If experienced workers leave because they no longer feel welcome, or because the work environment has become unstable, there is a real risk of losing skills that cannot be easily replaced.”.

He explained that this could affect the level of services, the transfer of expertise to younger employees, and ultimately negatively impact the tourist experience and the quality of the hospitality sector.

Observers note a striking paradox in southern Africa: while xenophobia is driving some skilled workers to leave South Africa, neighboring countries like Zimbabwe are benefiting from the return of these skilled professionals at a time of tourism expansion and new investments. This raises questions about the ability of social and immigration policies to influence the competitiveness of the tourism sector within the region.