Zimbabwe Slashes Tourism Fees, Permits & Licences, Cuts Red Tape [Full List]

Zimbabwe Slashes Tourism And Hospitality Fees In Bold Investment Push

The Government of Zimbabwe has announced a dramatic and sweeping reduction of fees, permits, and licences for the tourism and hospitality sector. This bold move is designed to slash the cost of doing business, attract fresh investment, and position the country as a leading regional destination. The wide-ranging reforms, which include cutting some fees by over 90% and removing others entirely, were detailed in a press statement from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.

The initiative forms part of a broader national economic transformation agenda. According to the Ministry of Finance, the reforms are targeted at “revitalising and expanding the country’s Tourism Sector.” The government believes that by creating a more predictable and investor-friendly environment, it can spur growth in a sector seen as a strategic pillar for employment creation and foreign currency earnings.

Dramatic Cuts For Hotels And Restaurants

One of the most significant changes is the drastic reduction in registration and renewal fees for accommodation providers. The cost for top-tier hotels has been slashed, with 5-star hotel licence renewals now set at US$2,000 (approx. R36,000) down from as much as US$5,250 (approx. R94,500).

The registration fee for new hotels, which previously could reach a staggering US$250,000 (approx. R4.5 million), has been cut to a flat US$20,000 (approx. R360,000). For smaller establishments, guest house registration and renewal has been reduced to US$150 (approx. R2,700) from up to US$500 (approx. R9,000).

Furthermore, the government has removed the requirement for tourism operators to hold a separate liquor licence, as this is already handled by local authorities.

The changes extend to food services and other ancillary businesses. The Ministry confirmed that licences for restaurants, takeaways, fast-food outlets, and coffee shops have been standardised and reduced to US$100 (approx. R1,800) from the previous US$305 (approx. R5,490). Events companies and travel agencies will also now pay the new standard rate of US$100.

Permits Slashed For Tours And Transport

The reforms also target the high cost of transport and tour operations, which has long been a point of contention for industry players. In a major shift, the US$600 (approx. R10,800) Annual Commercial Boat Permit has been scrapped entirely.

The permit for houseboats has been cut by 50%, now costing US$1,250 (approx. R22,500) instead of US$2,500 (approx. R45,000). For external tour operators, the licence fee has been halved from US$3,000 (approx. R54,000) to US$1,500 (approx. R27,000).

Perhaps the most dramatic reduction is for aircraft licences. The Ministry’s statement revealed that the fee for an aircraft licence has been reduced to just US$20 (approx. R360), a massive drop from the previous range of US$500 to US$1,000 (approx. R9,000 to R18,000).

The General Investment Licence has also been restructured, moving from an annual cost of US$5,000 (approx. R90,000) to a single payment of US$4,000 (approx. R72,000) that is valid for three years.

Business Community Welcomes Reforms

Business groups have largely welcomed the government’s announcement. Their backing was noted in a social media post by newZWire, which stated,

“While business groups have backed Govt announcements cutting regulations, they’ve called on govt to gazette the proposed regulations to make them legal.

This highlights the key next step for these changes: official publication in the government gazette to give them the full force of law.

The government’s ultimate goal, as stated by the Ministry of Finance, is to use these reforms to help Zimbabwe achieve its ambition of becoming an “Upper Middle-Income Society by 2030.”

By significantly lowering the financial barriers to entry and operation, officials hope to unlock new investments across hospitality, aviation, and eco-tourism, creating jobs and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.

Full List of Key Changes To Zimbabwe Tourism Fees:

• Hotel Registration Fee: Reduced from up to US$250,000 to US$20,000.

• 5-Star Hotel Licence Renewal: Reduced from up to US$5,250 to US$2,000.

• Guest House Registration/Renewal: Reduced from up to US$500 to US$150.

• Commercial Boat Permit: US$600 fee removed.

• Houseboat Permit: Reduced from US$2,500 to US$1,250.

• External Tour Operators Licence: Reduced from US$3,000 to US$1,500.

• Aircraft Licence: Reduced from US$500–US$1,000 to US$20.

• Restaurants/Takeaways/Fast-Food/Coffee Shop Licences: Reduced from US$305 to US$100.

• Events Companies & Travel Agencies Licence: Reduced to US$100.

• General Investment Licence: Changed from US$5,000 per year to US$4,000 for three years.

• Liquor Licence: Requirement removed for tourism operators.

• All Local Authority Licence Fees: Reduced by 50%.