The Sanganai Hlanganani Sports Tourism Carnival gets underway in Masvingo today, bringing together tertiary institutions and communities from across Zimbabwe in a multi-disciplinary sporting showcase ahead of the Sanganai Hlanganani Tourism Expo.
The carnival, which precedes the tourism expo scheduled for September 9 to 11, is aimed at promoting sport as an emerging tourism product while creating opportunities for young people and local communities to participate in competitive sporting activities.
Athletes and teams will battle it out in football, netball, cricket, tennis, basketball, volleyball, boxing, marathon, pool, golf and rugby.
The sporting activities will be spread across several venues in Masvingo and surrounding areas, including Mucheke Stadium, Masvingo Sports Club, Masvingo GVT Primary School, Kyle College, Sun East and Triangle Golf Club.
Beyond competition, the event is expected to provide a platform for students from tertiary institutions to interact and build networks through sport, while giving visitors an opportunity to experience Masvingo’s sporting facilities and tourism attractions.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Tongai Mnangagwa is expected to lead the official opening ceremony.
The initiative is part of Government’s broader efforts to diversify Zimbabwe’s tourism offering by combining sport and tourism, with organisers seeking to demonstrate how sporting events can attract athletes, supporters and tourists while generating income for communities and businesses in host destinations.
Sporting events have the potential to increase visitor numbers, extend stays and stimulate demand for accommodation, transport, food and other tourism-related services.
The carnival is therefore expected to provide a platform for Masvingo to showcase its capacity to host major sporting and tourism events while positioning the province as an attractive destination for domestic and international visitors.
The event will culminate in the Sanganai Hlanganani Tourism Expo, which will run from September 9 to 11 and bring together local and international tourism stakeholders in Masvingo.
The combination of sport and tourism is expected to set the tone for the expo and reinforce efforts to develop innovative tourism products that benefit both visitors and host communities.
