NAVIGATING MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE IN ZIMBABWE'S ECOTOURISM SECTOR

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Ecotourism governance requires coordination among public agencies, local authorities, communities, tourism businesses and conservation organisations whose mandates often overlap. This paper examines how multi-level governance shapes institutional coordination across Victoria Falls, Hwange and Binga, Zimbabwe. Using an interpretivist multiple -case design, the study draws on 39 semi-structured interviews with government and parastatal officials, conservation organisations, tourism businesses and community representatives, supported by analysis of tourism, wildlife and environmental policy documents. Four connected challenges emerged: overlapping mandates and competing priorities created uncertainty and delay; inter-agency collaboration was irregular and constrained by limited staff, budgets and follow-through; decision-making remained predominantly top-down, with weak local influence and feedback; and coordination problems differed by destination. Victoria Falls faced congestion among numerous institutions, Hwange relied strongly on protected - area networks, and Binga had fewer institutional connections and weaker access to national decision-making. These contrasts suggest that the number of institutions involved is less important than the quality, reach and consistency of their coordinat ion. NGOs and businesses bridged some gaps but could not replace consistent public-sector coordination. The study shows that a common national framework operates differently across destinations. Governance quality therefore depends as much on working relationships and implementation capacity as on formal mandates. It recommends clearer roles, routine and resourced coordination, stronger feedback mechanisms and targeted support for destinations with weaker institutional capacity . The comparison of destinations governed through the same national framework offers evidence that coordination reforms must be adapted to differences in institutional presence, administrative access and local implementation capacity.

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