By Caroline Washaya-Moyo
The decision by Fastjet to extend the deployment of its Airbus A320 aircraft into Zimbabwe during the December peak travel period has been welcomed as a vote of confidence in the country’s growing tourism and business travel market.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Tongai Mnangagwa, said the increased capacity demonstrated the growing demand for Zimbabwe as a tourism and business destination.
Speaking at the Fastjet stand at the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo in Masvingo, Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said air connectivity was central to the Government’s strategy of accelerating tourism growth.
“I am delighted to welcome Fastjet’s decision to extend the deployment of its Airbus A320 capacity and to bring the aircraft back during the December peak travel period. This is more than an airline capacity decision. It is a vote of confidence in the growing demand for Zimbabwe as a tourism and business destination,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe could not realise its full tourism potential without strengthening connectivity, noting that Government had prioritised route development, air access and seamless connectivity under its whole-of-government approach.
Fastjet has become an important player in Zimbabwe’s aviation and tourism ecosystem, with its network connecting Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo, while providing direct regional access to Johannesburg and other destinations in South Africa.
Since commencing operations in Zimbabwe in 2015, Fastjet has facilitated more than four million passengers, highlighting its contribution to regional mobility and the movement of tourists and business travellers.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said the airline had therefore evolved beyond being simply an air transport provider to become a strategic partner in opening Zimbabwe to regional and international travellers.
The introduction of the A320 on the Harare-Johannesburg and Victoria Falls-Johannesburg routes in August 2026 has responded to sustained demand from both business and leisure travellers.
“This is exactly the kind of market response we want to see: demand creates capacity, capacity creates access, and access creates tourism growth,” he said.
The increased capacity comes at a time when Zimbabwe’s tourism sector is recording significant recovery and growth.
International tourist arrivals increased from approximately 380,820 in 2021 to 1.78 million in 2025, while tourism receipts and domestic tourism activity have also recorded growth.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa said the figures demonstrated the significant opportunity available to Zimbabwe if barriers to travel and access were continually addressed.
He emphasised that the economic benefits of increased air connectivity extended far beyond airports.
“When an aircraft arrives in Zimbabwe, the benefit does not stop at the airport. It flows into hotels, lodges, restaurants, tour operators, transport, attractions, retail, cultural enterprises and communities,” he said.
More flights and increased seat capacity, he added, could translate into higher visitor numbers, longer stays, improved hotel occupancy, increased business for tourism enterprises and ultimately more jobs and investment.
The development also comes as Zimbabwe continues positioning tourism as a key pillar of economic growth under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), particularly through increased investment, employment creation, infrastructure development and enhanced international market access.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa congratulated Fastjet on the additional capacity and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to working with airlines and other private-sector players to strengthen Zimbabwe’s connectivity.
“Our message is simple: Zimbabwe is open, Zimbabwe is accessible, and Zimbabwe is growing,” he said.
“We see this additional capacity as an investment in Zimbabwe’s tourism future, and we look forward to seeing more aircraft, more routes, more visitors, and more tourism investment coming into our country.”
The Fastjet development reinforces the broader message emerging from the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo that connectivity, investment and market access are increasingly critical to unlocking Zimbabwe’s tourism potential.
