Towards an Innovative Cultural Heritage Tourism Framework: A Case of Manicalandziwa Ruins in Zimbabwe

Innovative cultural heritage tourism (ICHT) seems ever-present today and operates as a constant process that involves cultural resources and operates massively through social and institutional arrangements at different international, national and local levels. Most tourist destinations have undergone significant changes and embraced the pivotal role of innovation in cultural heritage tourism to ward off the growing international competition among countries and locations. However, the fly in the ointment has been the successive failures of these initiatives to achieve set policy targets particularly in developing countries like Zimbabwe. Innovative cultural heritage tourism in Zimbabwe has a lot of potential for economic growth; however the sector has been left undeveloped. Thus, the study sought to find out the perception on perspectives for an innovative cultural heritage tourism framework using a case study of Ziwa ruins in Manicaland, Zimbabwe. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Interviews were conducted with 8 participants using convenient sampling method. The researchers used employees and the local people of Ziwa ruins in Manicaland, Zimbabwe. Thematic analysis was implemented.