REGINALD CHAPFUNGA
Across Africa, tourism is increasingly being recognised as more than a leisure industry. It is a catalyst for economic growth, a driver of investment, a creator of jobs and a powerful instrument of diplomacy. As countries compete for visitors, talent and capital, many are turning to tourism as a strategic tool to shape their global image and strengthen international partnerships. That conversation took tangible form in Harare at a Diplomat Business Networking Club breakfast meeting, where ambassadors from Türkiye, Ghana and Greece shared how their countries have successfully built tourism into a strategic national asset.
Türkiye: Scale, Culture and Diversification
Türkiye’s tourism journey is anchored in its long history as a crossroads of civilisations. H.E Mrs Berna Kasnaklı Versteden, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, described tourism as an extension of that heritage.
“Türkiye has been a cradle and bridge for many civilizations,” she said. “We inherited the traditions and cultures of earlier civilizations, created our own culture, and contributed in this respect to other countries and peoples.”
Today, tourism contributes about 10 percent of Türkiye’s GDP and roughly 5 percent of total employment. In 2024, the country hosted 52.6 million visitors and generated US$61.1 billion in tourism revenue. Targets for 2025 are higher still, with projections of 65 million visitors and US$64 billion in income.
Yet Ambassador Versteden stressed that growth has been shaped deliberately. “Türkiye is no longer confined to the ‘sea, sun and sand’ triangle,” she said. “We have made significant investments in diversifying tourism products and source markets, and these efforts are now reflected in our numbers.”
Cultural and archaeological tourism has become central to this strategy. Türkiye conducted excavations at 765 archaeological sites last year, many now open year-round under the Heritage for the Future initiative. Gastronomy has followed a similar path. “Following the inclusion of Istanbul in the Michelin Guide, other destinations have been added,” she noted. “In the coming years, all restaurants across Türkiye will fall within the Michelin Guide’s inspection radar.”
Infrastructure underpins this reach. Türkiye operates 58 airports, of which 37 handle international traffic, enabling year-round access and dispersal of visitors across regions. Sustainability has also been formalised through a nationally certified programme aligned with international standards.
“Our approach is to utilise the universal language of culture and art,” Ambassador Versteden said, “and to carry out activities that leave a lasting impression in the minds of people.”
Ghana: Tourism as Diplomacy
For Ghana, tourism has been consciously positioned as a diplomatic tool. H.E Bonaventure Adjavor, Ghana’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, framed the sector as part of foreign policy rather than a standalone industry.
“Tourism diplomacy refers to the use of tourism and its related cultural, historical and hospitality assets to achieve foreign policy objectives, enhance a nation’s image, and foster international relationships,” he said.
The economic impact has been substantial. Ghana recorded a record US$4.8 billion in tourism receipts from international visitors in 2024, making tourism one of the country’s leading foreign exchange earners.
Beyond revenue, Ambassador Adjavor highlighted how tourism spending circulates through the wider economy. “Tourism spending flows into local economies,” he said, “supporting local artisans and small businesses, developing ecotourism sites in rural areas, and boosting sectors like music, fashion and cuisine.”
Employment has been another key outcome. “Tourism is also a major employer,” he added. “The expansion of tourism-related activities directly translates into increased employment and wage bills across the economy.”
Ghana’s Year of Return initiative, which invited the African diaspora to reconnect with their ancestral homeland, was cited as an example of how tourism can strengthen international ties while deepening cultural identity. Diplomatic missions play an active role in this model, promoting Ghana as a destination, facilitating visas and supporting investment. Business and conference tourism has further diversified the sector, attracting higher-value visitors and strengthening global networks.
Greece: A National Strategy
In Greece, tourism sits at the heart of the national economy. H.E Anna Farrou, Greece’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, described it in unequivocal terms.
“Tourism is not only a vital pillar, but the cornerstone of the Greek economy,” she said. “It makes up around 25 percent of our GDP and employs more than one million people.”
Greece welcomed more than 35 million tourists in 2024, generating €21.6 billion in revenue. Ambassador Farrou emphasised that this success followed decades of coordinated planning.
“Within the last 25 to 30 years, we have been developing and pursuing a holistic, integrated and comprehensive strategy for tourism,” she said.
Infrastructure was an early priority. Greece invested heavily in airports, ports, transport networks and visitor facilities, laying a foundation for growth. Today, the country operates 39 airports connecting mainland and island destinations to global markets.
Diversification followed, with Greece developing thematic tourism in areas such as gastronomy, wine, wellness, religious travel, conferences and adventure tourism. “We wanted to attract different audiences and different ages,” Ambassador Farrou explained, “and at the same time give more regions and local communities the opportunity to benefit.”
Technology and marketing have supported this strategy, but she stressed that human connection remains central. “For us, to host and treat a foreigner is an honour and not just a job,” she said. “Technology does not replace that connection – it enhances it.”
A Global Conversation in a Local Moment
The discussions unfolded as Zimbabwe continues to rebuild momentum in its own tourism sector. The country recorded about 1.6 million international tourist arrivals in the past year, with tourism contributing significantly to GDP growth and foreign currency inflows. International recognition has renewed interest, but the Harare meeting offered a broader lens.
Across Türkiye, Ghana and Greece, common threads emerged: long-term planning, sustained investment in infrastructure and skills, diversification of experiences and the strategic use of culture and diplomacy. Tourism, in each case, was treated as a national project shaped over decades rather than seasons.
Conclusion: Learning Without Lecturing
The Diplomat Business Networking Club breakfast was an exchange of experiences from countries that have turned tourism into a bridge between history and opportunity, culture and commerce, national identity and global engagement.
Through Türkiye’s scale and diversification, Ghana’s tourism diplomacy and Greece’s integrated national strategy, the discussion highlighted how different paths can lead to resilient tourism economies.
At a moment when global attention is returning to Zimbabwe, the conversation served as a reminder that tourism, when shaped deliberately, can become more than an industry. It can become a platform for connection, confidence and long-term potential.
