Harare, (New Ziana) – Heritage Village, an African cultural and hospitality destination situated within Liberation City in Harare, will on Monday host delegates to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit on a familialisation tour.
The summit, running under the theme: “One Market, One Future: Advancing Inclusive Industrialisation, Investment and Regional Integration in COMESA”, has drawn regional leaders, policymakers, business executives and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing economic cooperation and advancing regional integration.
As part of the summit’s activities, Heritage Village at Liberation City is hosting COMESA Tourism Night on October 19. The event seeks to showcase Africa’s rich cultural diversity while familiarising visiting delegates with Zimbabwe’s tourism offerings and hospitality sector.
Established by the Institute of African Knowledge (INSTAK), which also spearheads the Museum of African Liberation, Heritage Village is an Afrocentric cultural and hospitality hub committed to celebrating African identity and heritage. The facility provides spaces for cultural programmes, conferences, exhibitions, corporate functions and leisure activities, promoting interaction through African traditions, cuisine and cultural experiences.
INSTAK Chief Executive Officer Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi said the institution was pleased to receive the COMESA delegates at a venue that celebrates Africa’s cultural richness and reflects the continent’s aspirations for unity and cooperation.
“We are delighted to welcome our COMESA brothers and sisters to Heritage Village as Zimbabwe opens its doors to the region. Tourism, and indeed Heritage Village, allows people to encounter one another’s cultures, appreciate our heritage, and discover the many experiences our continent has to offer. We want our guests to experience Zimbabwe not only as a host of important regional meetings, but also as a destination of culture, hospitality and opportunity,” Ambassador Muzawazi says.
He emphasised that tourism had considerable potential to drive economic growth in Zimbabwe and across the COMESA region, complementing broader efforts to boost trade, attract investment and strengthen regional ties.
“Tourism is an important economic sector in its own right and a catalyst for growth across accommodation, transport, agriculture, creative industries and small businesses. For Zimbabwe and the COMESA region, developing our tourism potential means creating jobs, stimulating enterprise, attracting investment and encouraging greater movement of people across our borders. Our regional integration agenda must also recognise the value of tourism as a driver of inclusive economic development,” he said.
Heritage Village forms a central part of the broader Liberation City project, which also includes the Museum of African Liberation. The museum is a national undertaking dedicated to safeguarding and promoting Africa’s liberation history while developing a major centre for cultural preservation and tourism.
Through its integration of cultural heritage, tourism and hospitality, Liberation City contributes to Zimbabwe’s drive to strengthen its standing as a leading regional tourism destination and realise its goal of attaining upper middle-income status by 2030.
COMESA Tourism Night provides a platform for combining regional cooperation with cultural exchange and tourism promotion, underscoring the role of African heritage and hospitality in building a more connected, integrated and prosperous continent.
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