The 2nd UN Tourism Regional Congress on Women’s Empowerment in Tourism in Africa, jointly organised by UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of the Republic of Zimbabwe, was held in Victoria Falls from 29 April to 1 May 2026. Convened at a time when Africa’s tourism sector is recalibrating for resilience, sustainability and inclusion, the Congress marked a decisive shift away from traditional empowerment narratives towards leadership, ownership and institutional reform.
While women account for approximately 69% of Africa’s hospitality workforce, discussions reaffirmed a persistent imbalance. Women remain disproportionately concentrated in lower-paid, informal and operational roles, with limited representation at executive, policy and ownership levels. Against this backdrop, the Congress was framed around a central question – how does Africa move beyond participation to ensure women become architects and decision-makers shaping the continent’s tourism future?
Leadership as an economic imperative
Opening the Congress, Zimbabwe’s First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa delivered a firm call to action, urging African governments and institutions to dismantle the structural barriers preventing women from accessing leadership. She stressed that tourism’s potential to generate employment, foreign exchange and community development will remain constrained unless women are intentionally supported to occupy strategic decision-making positions.
Her remarks positioned women’s leadership not as a social aspiration, but as an economic necessity aligned with Africa’s broader transformation agenda. She also challenged stakeholders to move decisively from dialogue to implementation, calling for partnerships, policy reforms and programmes that convert empowerment into influence.
From dialogue to delivery
The three-day programme was deliberately designed to prioritise outcomes over symbolism. It featured a high-level ministerial dialogue bringing together public and private sector leaders, technical workshops focused on leadership pathways and access to finance, and a mentorship segment aimed at strengthening intergenerational knowledge transfer. Participants also engaged with findings from the UN Tourism Global Report on Women in Tourism: The Transport Industries, which provided an evidence-based examination of mobility, access and systemic exclusion across tourism-related sectors.
Exhibitions showcasing women-led enterprises in gastronomy, crafts, wellness, agriculture and ecotourism offered tangible proof of the value women already contribute across tourism value chains. These displays reinforced a central message of the Congress – women are not marginal participants, but proven drivers of innovation and local economic resilience when operating within enabling environments.
Grounded leadership and institutional accountability
UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais, the first woman to lead the organisation in its 50-year history, commended Zimbabwe’s hands-on approach to women’s empowerment. She emphasised the importance of leadership grounded in lived realities and urged women leaders to actively support one another rather than compete for limited space.
Her interventions consistently highlighted accountability, calling for policy coherence, measurable outcomes and sustained commitment from governments, the private sector and development partners. Progress, she noted, must ultimately be assessed by structural change rather than speeches.
Sustainability, governance and high-level engagement
The Congress took place alongside broader high-level UN Tourism engagements in Zimbabwe, reinforcing the links between inclusion, sustainability and governance. During her visit, Secretary-General Al Nowais met with Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss advancing tourism development in Zimbabwe and globally. She was accompanied by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amon Murwira.
These engagements formed part of a wider programme that included the UN Tourism Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, underscoring Zimbabwe’s positioning at the intersection of sustainable tourism policy and inclusive growth.
Reframing the future of African tourism
As the Congress concluded, a clear consensus emerged – empowerment without leadership pipelines, access to capital and representation at decision-making tables is insufficient. Delegates agreed that Africa’s tourism competitiveness and sustainability will depend on structurally embedding women as leaders, owners and policymakers across the sector.
The Victoria Falls Congress reaffirmed that the future narrative of African tourism must extend beyond destinations and landscapes to include the women whose leadership will define the sector’s growth, resilience and global relevance.
