By Dickson Bandera
HARARE — Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) has secured two major recognitions at the 2026 Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents (AZTA) Awards, with the Harare International Convention Centre (HICC) taking the top prize for conferencing and Rainbow Towers Hotel finishing as first runner-up in the Best City Hotel category.
The awards come after a major refurbishment of the Rainbow Towers-HICC complex and follow years of hosting regional and international conferences, government summits, professional congresses, exhibitions and large-scale events.
For Zimbabwe’s tourism industry, the recognition also shines a light on the country’s growing MICE — meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions — sector, with HICC providing one of the country’s principal platforms for large business and institutional gatherings.
HICC has a long record of hosting high-profile gatherings. The centre hosted the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2024, bringing together regional leaders and senior government delegations.
It also hosted SADC Industrialisation Week, which brought government, business and development stakeholders together for discussions on regional industrialisation and investment.
The centre has twice hosted the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA), first in 2015 and again in 2023. The 2023 conference brought thousands of delegates from across Africa and beyond to Harare.
Other major gatherings have included the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa conference, as well as events involving international organisations such as Doctors Without Borders. HICC has also hosted research conferences, corporate meetings, exhibitions and cultural productions.
Its calendar has therefore extended well beyond conventional conferences.
Investment behind the award
The recognition follows a substantial investment in the complex. RTG spent about US$5.2 million refurbishing Rainbow Towers Hotel and HICC. The project formed part of a broader US$26 million capital investment programme across the group’s portfolio over five years.
At HICC, the main auditorium received new seating and carpets. The new seats include charging points and writing arms, while improvements were made to the venue’s acoustic systems, air-conditioning and conferencing technology.
The auditorium can accommodate about 4,500 people.
The wider convention centre has 19 conference rooms and approximately 2,000 square metres of exhibition space, allowing large conferences to operate alongside smaller meetings and exhibitions.
The refurbishment was designed to modernise a facility that has remained an important part of Harare’s events infrastructure.
The hotel received its own extensive upgrade. RTG refurbished 48 rooms and introduced six premium suites. The rooms received new furniture and fittings, as well as new flooring, ceilings and other finishes.
The premium suites were designed for executive and diplomatic guests and provide larger living and dining spaces.
The hotel also received new elevators and improvements to access control.
The proximity of the hotel to HICC remains one of the complex’s defining features, particularly for major conferences that require accommodation for visiting delegates and official delegations.
HICC’s programme has increasingly included events outside the traditional conference market. The venue has hosted exhibitions, corporate functions, professional gatherings and entertainment productions.
In 2026, it has continued to accommodate major events, including the Zimbabwe International Research Symposium, which brought researchers and policymakers together in Harare.
The centre has also been used for major music productions, demonstrating its ability to accommodate large audiences outside the business-events calendar.
That range gives HICC a broad operating base and keeps the facility active across different segments of the events industry.
Another award at Sanganai
The AZTA recognition follows RTG’s appearance at the 2026 Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, where the group was recognised for its exhibition presence.
The group used the tourism showcase to promote its wider portfolio, including its hotels, tourism operations and digital platforms.
The recognition added another accolade to a period in which RTG has been investing in its properties and broadening its tourism offering.
RTG’s wider footprint
Rainbow Towers is only one part of RTG’s hotel portfolio.
The group operates New Ambassador Hotel, Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Kadoma Hotel & Conference Centre, Victoria Falls Rainbow Hotel, A’Zambezi River Lodge and Montclair Resort & Conference alongside Rainbow Towers.
Its interests also extend into tour operations through Heritage Expeditions Africa, which provides transfers, excursions and other tourism experiences.
RTG has also developed Gateway Stream, a digital platform that forms part of its diversification beyond traditional hotel operations.
The group can therefore offer accommodation, conferencing and tourism experiences across several destinations rather than relying on a single property or market.
Leadership and investment
RTG has been led by Group Chief Executive Tendai Madziwanyika since 2012.
The group’s strategy under his leadership has included investment in hotel infrastructure, technology and diversification. The Rainbow Towers-HICC refurbishment is among the most significant examples of that approach in Harare.
For HICC, the AZTA award comes after a period in which the venue has continued to attract major regional and international events while undergoing significant modernisation.
For Rainbow Towers, the first runner-up position follows the refurbishment of guest rooms and suites and upgrades to supporting facilities.
Together, the awards underline the position of the Rainbow Towers-HICC complex as one of Zimbabwe’s established platforms for major conferences, business gatherings and events.
The trophies may have been presented on one evening, but they reflect years of investment and a calendar that has repeatedly brought regional and international organisations through the doors of the Harare complex.
