BNB Operators Face Mandatory Registration Under Zimbabwe’s Proposed Tourism Bill

BNB Operators Face Mandatory Registration Under Zimbabwe’s Proposed Tourism Bill

Running a BNB in Zimbabwe could soon come with new rules — or serious consequences. A proposed law says all operators must register with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), or risk being shut down.

This is part of the Tourism Amendment Bill of 2025, which aims to tighten control over the tourism sector. The bill says every BNB and short-term rental facility must register with the ZTA. It also forces online platforms like Airbnb to only list properties that are registered and licensed.

According to the draft law, licenses will be valid for just one year, and renewals will only happen after an inspection and review.

Here’s what the proposed law says in part:

“33 Registration and licensing

(1) All hosts must register with the Authority, in the prescribed manner, before listing a property on an accommodation booking platform.

(2) Every accommodation booking platform shall ensure that hosts using their services are registered and licensed with the Authority.

(3) Licences shall be valid for one year and subject to renewal upon inspection and review.”

The proposal has triggered mixed reactions on social media. Some Zimbabweans supported the move, saying it could bring order and fairness to the tourism sector. Others, however, questioned the government’s motives, arguing that it’s yet another attempt to control and monetise informal businesses.

Here are some of the comments:

@KuleVeZaka:

This our country is something else, kutsvaga mari here? Or it’s for security reasons, does it mean the ZTA will have access to BNB records, etc?

@coytin_nelo:

Good move by ZTA, the BnB’s are slowly taking away the hotel/lodge market.

@oriekays:

Oxygen tax ndoyasara.

@nobula9:

Nyika yedu haina zororo… Chese chese havasiye.

@CeeeClef:

Endlessly finding ways to take money for doing nothing.

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