Domestic travelers usually made up the highest spending in the sector of travel and tourism in Zimbabwe. In 2021, domestic spending added up to around 816 billion U.S. dollars, whereas international visitors spent some 70 million U.S. dollars. Overall, the spending decreased compared to 2019, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Travel and tourism contributed approximately four percent to Zimbabwe's GDP in 2021. Compared to 2020, the contribution of tourism to the economy of Zimbabwe experienced a slight increase. This was due to the closure of the travel sector for five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Looking at the domestic and international spending in the travel sector, the total expenditure decreased from nearly one billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 880 million U.S. dollars in 2021.

Employment in the tourism industry

A total shutdown of the tourism sector for nearly half a year had a severe impact on the employment within the industry and led to the loss of many jobs. In 2020, there were approximately 147 thousand jobs in the travel and tourism sector of Zimbabwe, which is a decrease of about 18 percent compared to 2019. However, despite this significant decline, the industry held roughly 2.5 percent of the total employment in the country.

Most tourists came from Africa

 The most common origin of tourists that visited Zimbabwe in 2021 came from the African continent. 16 percent of the visitors came from Malawi , whereas Namibia and Zambia had a share of 15 percent of the total international tourists each. Mozambique and the United States completed the ranking with 12 percent and five percent, respectively.

In 2021, the sector of travel and tourism accounted for 2.5 percent of the total employment in Zimbabwe. Despite a decrease in the number of jobs compared to 2019, there were 165 thousand jobs in travel and tourism in Zimbabwe in 2021.

In 2021, there were just over 165 thousand jobs in the travel and tourism sector in Zimbabwe. This was an increase of nearly 12 percent compared to the previous year, which is mainly the result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In total, tourism contributed 2.5 percent of jobs in Zimbabwe.

Most tourists enter Zimbabwe by land. In 2021, around 233,000 international visitors traveled to the country by land, against 147,000 arrivals by air. Before the tourism crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, tourist arrivals had increased between 2016 and 2019, with Zimbabwe ranking among the African countries with the highest number of international tourists.

Mongolia Visitor Arrivals: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data was reported at 19.000 Person in Dec 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.000 Person for Sep 2019. Mongolia Visitor Arrivals: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data is updated quarterly, averaging 15.000 Person from Mar 2010 (Median) to Dec 2019, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33.000 Person in Dec 2016 and a record low of 1.000 Person in Mar 2010. Mongolia Visitor Arrivals: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Office of Mongolia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mongolia – Table MN.Q001: Visitor Arrivals.

Indonesia Visitors Arrivals by Residence: Zimbabwe data was reported at 200.000 Person in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 156.000 Person for Nov 2024. Indonesia Visitors Arrivals by Residence: Zimbabwe data is updated monthly, averaging 78.500 Person from Jan 2017 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 96 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 228.000 Person in Dec 2019 and a record low of 0.000 Person in Sep 2021. Indonesia Visitors Arrivals by Residence: Zimbabwe data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Indonesia. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table ID.QA003: Visitors Arrivals: by Country of Residence. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

1.4 (%) in 2019. The share of Travel & Tourism spending or employment in the equivalent economy-wide concept in the published national income accounts or labour market statistics. Visitor exports are compared with exports of all goods and services Domestic Travel & Tourism spending is compared with GDP Government individual Travel & Tourism spending is compared with total government spending Internal Travel & Tourism consumption is compared with total internal consumption (i.e. total domestic spending plus total export) Leisure Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP is compared with total GDP Business Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP is compared with total GDP Travel & Tourism capital investment spending is compared with all fixed investment spending

Leisure spending usually made up the highest spending in the sector of travel and tourism in Zimbabwe. In 2020, spending with leisure travel reached around 465 billion U.S. dollars, whereas expenditure with business travel added up to 37 million U.S. dollars. Overall, both spending decreased compared to 2019.

Mongolia Visitor Departures: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data was reported at 21.000 Person in Dec 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 17.000 Person for Sep 2019. Mongolia Visitor Departures: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data is updated quarterly, averaging 12.500 Person from Mar 2010 (Median) to Dec 2019, with 40 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33.000 Person in Dec 2016 and a record low of 1.000 Person in Mar 2012. Mongolia Visitor Departures: Year to Date: Foreigners: Zimbabwe data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Office of Mongolia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mongolia – Table MN.Q002: Visitor Departures.

Indonesia Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe data was reported at 1,466.000 Person in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,074.000 Person for 2023. Indonesia Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe data is updated yearly, averaging 1,061.500 Person from Dec 2017 (Median) to 2024, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,742.000 Person in 2019 and a record low of 22.000 Person in 2021. Indonesia Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Indonesia. The data is categorized under Indonesia Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table ID.QA004: Visitors Arrivals: by Country of Residence: Annual.

The majority of the tourists traveling to Zimbabwe in 2021 were from African countries. That year, nearly 270,000 people from the African continent entered Zimbabwe for touristic purposes. The Americas was the second leading region of origin of international tourists, counting 21,000 visitors as of the same year.

3,7 (%) in 2019. The share of Travel & Tourism spending or employment in the equivalent economy-wide concept in the published national income accounts or labour market statistics. Visitor exports are compared with exports of all goods and services Domestic Travel & Tourism spending is compared with GDP Government individual Travel & Tourism spending is compared with total government spending Internal Travel & Tourism consumption is compared with total internal consumption (i.e. total domestic spending plus total export) Leisure Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP is compared with total GDP Business Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP is compared with total GDP Travel & Tourism capital investment spending is compared with all fixed investment spending

Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe在2024达1,466.000人口，相较于2023的1,074.000人口有所增长。Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe数据按每年更新，2017至2024期间平均值为1,061.500人口，共8份观测结果。该数据的历史最高值出现于2019，达1,742.000人口，而历史最低值则出现于2021，为22.000人口。CEIC提供的Visitors Arrivals: Annual: Africa: Zimbabwe数据处于定期更新的状态，数据来源于Statistics Indonesia，数据归类于Indonesia Premium Database的Tourism Sector – Table ID.QA004: Visitors Arrivals: by Country of Residence: Annual。

The occupancy rate of bed places in hotels and accommodation establishments in Zimbabwe stood at 32 percent in 2019. The share of occupied bed places decreased compared to the previous year when it peaked at 39 percent. In 2019, there were 286 thousand international tourists in Zimbabwe's hotels and tourist accommodation facilities.

As of February 2024, the number of tourists in South Africa from the South African Development Community (SADC) countries amounted to 502,000 visitors. Of those, around 159,000, 122,000, and 91,000 were from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Lesotho, respectively.