Zimbabwe To Establish First-Ever Gastronomy Tourism School In Africa 

By Wallace Mawire   

Zimbabwe is set to establish the first-ever Gastronomy Tourism School in Africa in a development which is set to see the country advancing the preservation of culture and heritage and promoting consumption of traditional foods for healthy living.                        

Zimbabwe's Tourism and Hospitality industry Minister,Barbara Rwodzi said during a recent engagement with the media that her ministry appraised Cabinet that on 31 October,2023 United Nations Tourism selected Zimbabwe to host the inaugural Africa Regional Tourism Forum on Gastronomy Tourism on 26 to 28 July,2024 in Victoria Falls.   

Rwodzi said that Zimbabwe was selected following an invitation extended to First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa to attend the 8th Edition of the UN Tourism  forum on Gastronomy Tourism held in Spain on 5 to 7 October,2023.   

 She said that the UN organization invited the country to host the forthcoming forum following the country's first lady's exceptional exhibition on gastronomy tourism at the historic UN Tourism forum in Spain.      

 "The hosting of the gastronomy forum in the country is also to honour and recognize the first lady's work on gastronomy tourism in the country," Rwodzi said.    She added that the UN agency honoured the first lady in the wake of her work on bringing gastronomy tourism to another level in Zimbabwe in her work from 2019 to 2023,'Rwodzi said.      

She said that First Lady Mnangagwa led a delegation from Zimbabwe to the forum held last year in Spain.        

 Rwodzi also said that at the forthcoming forum to be hosted by Zimbabwe in a few days time,a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between the UN Tourism and Zimbabwe to build the first-ever Gastronomy Tourism School in Africa.  

 She also said that the forum is being held in the build up to national cook-out competitions which have been held in the country since 2019, spearhead by the first lady.                                    According to Rwodzi, the national cook-out competitions this year will involve the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education,Innovation,Science and Technology Development including the Ministry of  Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development  as a value chain development strategy.         

 Other ministries which have been participating in the competitions include the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises. which for some time now have been participating in the programme initiated by the first lady.

 Rwodzi said that in a bid to advance the vision of a middle-class economy pronounced by  President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the tourism industry has created various sectors inorder to accommodate sector.                

 Saying that the tourism sector is multifaceted, Rwodzi said that clusters which have been created include religious tourism, medical, culture and heritage,where gastronomy falls under, wildlife and nature, sport, including music and dance, holidaying, rural, study, business and domestic tourism.    

 According to Rwodzi, the government of Zimbabwe is prioritizing infrastructure development, partnerships, employment creation in the tourism sector to promote economic growth.            

 She said that UN Tourism is promoting it's 2063 Vision on Sustainable Tourism and the country has not been left behind.

 Rwodzi said that Zimbabwe is advocating for rural and community based tourism for economic growth.

 She also said that Zurab Pololikashvili,UN Tourism Secretary General will be the most senior UN Representative to grace the gastronomy tourism forum to be held in a few days in the country.

  According to the UN Tourism, the Basque Culinary Center and the Government of Zimbabwe will organize the First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, on 26 to 28 July 2024 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

 The organiztion says that in recent years, Gastronomy Tourism has emerged as a significant travel motivation, offering authentic experiences that resonate with the growing interest in food among travellers, who are also looking for a more profound connection with local communities during their trips.

 They says that this trend presents vast opportunities for sustainable development, cultural exchange and community empowerment.

  'Acknowledging the pivotal role of gastronomy in tourism development, the First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa aims to discuss the challenges and opportunities of its promotion as a key driver for Africa's competitiveness in the global tourism landscape,'UN Tourism said.

 They add that Africa's gastronomic heritage is rich and diverse, yet often overlooked by tourists.

 They say that its flavours tell stories of cultural traditions, from ancient recipes to modern innovations.

 It is also added that African cuisine reflects a fusion of influences, merging ancestral recipes with the creativity of chefs, who sublimate local specialties and ingredients, inviting the world to experience the richness of African gastronomy.

  In its inaugural edition, the upcoming UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa will convene destinations and international experts to explore the transformative potential of Gastronomy Tourism,UN Tourism says.

 They add that this will be acheived through knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices, and the  forum aims to harness the power of gastronomy tourism for the benefit of local communities and the environment, fostering regional cohesion and resilience.