THE Infrastructure and Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) has identified tourism as a priority investment sector, offering financing beyond construction to include project development and operational requirements as it seeks to channel capital into foreign-currency generating enterprises.
IDBZ chief executive officer Mr Willing Zvirevo said the development financier was positioning itself to support the tourism industry across the investment cycle, including the development of hotels, restaurants and conference facilities.
He said the bank’s approach was anchored on supporting sectors that enable socioeconomic development while also financing secondary sectors such as tourism, health, education and ICT.
“We have two buckets primary sectors which are water and sanitation, housing, irrigation, transport and energy we call them primary sectors because these are what we call enablers for socioeconomic development but we also have what we call secondary sectors this is where your tourism comes in health education and ICT,” said Mr Zvirevo.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing Zimbabwe Economic Development Conference (ZEDCON) 2026 in Bulawayo yesterday.
Mr Zvirevo said tourism was particularly important because of its capacity to generate foreign currency, making it a strategic area for development finance.
“So specifically on tourism it is a sector which we focus on and we finance both the construction of tourism facilities as well as also financing the actual operation because as a development bank we are not just financing infrastructure in fact our name is Infrastructure and Development Bank of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“What it means is that beyond infrastructure, we are able to provide financing solutions to private enterprises and we focus those that generate foreign currents such as your tourism is a huge foreign earner.”
The bank is also targeting businesses operating within the infrastructure value chain, creating opportunities for local manufacturers, construction-material suppliers and contractors to participate in tourism and other development projects.
“We also support projects that are or enterprises that are within the infrastructure value chain,” said Mr Zvirevo.
“These are your manufacturers and suppliers of our construction material and equipment and also contractors.”
He said IDBZ was also supporting initiatives aimed at reducing dependence on imports and accelerating the transition towards cleaner production.
“We also support initiatives that ensures import substitution so that we reduce the burden on foreign currency resources and then what we call a green transition, basically initiatives that are meant to transition our economy towards a clean path.”
Mr Zvirevo said IDBZ could intervene from the earliest stages of tourism projects, including concept development and financial structuring, to improve their ability to attract both debt and equity capital.
“So tourism is definitely a priority within our interventions, both on the infrastructure when it comes to helping them build, whether it is hotels, restaurants, conference facilities,” he said.
“We are involved from the beginning, from concept stage to packaging these developments to make sure that they can attract both lenders and equity investors.”
He said the bank’s role extended beyond conventional lending.
“So our role is both a financier, we are also a technical partner, and we are also a financial mobilizer.”
“So those are the three roles that we play in the infrastructure space.”
Ends-herald
