Tourism players at the Great Zimbabwe monuments have played an
important role in communities adjacent to the site. Hotelier, private players and National
Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) have heavily social invested in a
number of ways to the surrounding communities. The tourism industry has created a
vibrant local tourism economy that has improved and diversified the livelihoods
strategies of nearby communities. The economic synergies between the industries and
local communities have cascades to individuals who have managed to be incorporated
into the tourism-related-economic activities. Tourism players have raised awareness
and level of knowledge on heritage management and preservation. Through quiz and
competition local school have managed to benefit from tourism players in their vicinity.
Financially, tourism players have aided the construction of state of the art infrastructure,
provided tuition and assistance to the less privileged in the surrounding communities.
Traditional leadership has been incorporated in the activities of tourism players,
enabling them to get funds to develop their local area and to identify beneficiaries of
assistance from local tourism players. Whilst positive contributions of tourism in terms of
corporate social responsibility are noted, drawbacks such those of staged authenticity,
seasonality of jobs, an economic systems widely governed by external factors are
highlighted.