Zimbabwe News Update
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Sports / SoccerZimbabwe tourism loses millions in airline ticketing scandalsby Staff reporter2 hrs ago |87ViewsZimbabwe’s tourism industry is losing hundreds of millions of United States dollars annually through massive leakages in airline ticket sales, according to a confidential Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) report submitted to government.The report, seen by businessdigest, exposes a shadowy ticketing system in which about 72% of travel agencies operate outside the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) – the internationally approved platform for airline payments.As a result, the country is reportedly forfeiting large sums to foreign-based or unregistered travel agents, depriving the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) of tax revenue and airlines of accurate market data – while simultaneously undermining efforts to rebuild the tourism sector.”An increasing number of foreign-based travel agents are conducting business in Zimbabwe while processing ticket sales in other jurisdictions,” the TBCZ said.Payments are often collected locally in US dollar cash, but ticketing is executed through BSP systems in countries such as Zambia or Malawi, the report notes.
This practice diverts foreign currency circulation away from Zimbabwe’s financial system, erodes tax collections, and distorts key tourism and aviation metrics.Between January and August 2025, Zimbabwe’s BSP system recorded US$78,6 million in gross airline sales – 86% of which were paid in cash.
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