Rainbow Tourism Group is positioning its inaugural Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival as more than a sporting event, using the combination of mountain running, live music and hospitality to attract visitors to Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands for an extended weekend.

The event, scheduled for September 26, will bring runners, families and music lovers to Nyanga under the theme “Run. Breath. Celebrate.”, with award-winning musician Jah Prayzah headlining the post-race concert.

RTG Corporate Affairs and Quality Manager Pride Khumbula said the company was working to ensure that the event offered visitors a complete destination experience.

“Preparations for the Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival are progressing well, and we are focused on ensuring that every aspect of the experience is ready for participants when they arrive,” Khumbula said.

“From the race routes and participant support to the hospitality and overall guest experience, our teams and partners are working to deliver an event that is professionally organised and worthy of Nyanga’s spectacular setting.”

The marathon will feature 3km Fun Run, 5km, 10km and 21km Half Marathon categories, creating entry points for experienced runners as well as families, casual participants and people who prefer walking.

The 21km race will provide the most demanding challenge, taking runners through Nyanga’s highland terrain and elevation changes.

Khumbula said the event was intended to encourage visitors to experience the Eastern Highlands beyond a single attraction.

“The Nyanga Mountain Valley Marathon and Music Festival is about creating an experience that brings people together through sport, wellness, music and tourism,” she said.

“We want participants to challenge themselves against the backdrop of Nyanga’s spectacular landscapes, but also to slow down, enjoy the destination and experience everything the Eastern Highlands has to offer.”

The organisers are deliberately using the music component to extend the event’s appeal beyond the running fraternity.

Gateway Stream Media Manager Elton Kurima said the concert was designed to give non-runners a reason to travel to Nyanga while allowing participants to celebrate after the races.

“The idea was to build a complete weekend experience where sport and entertainment complement each other,” Kurima said.

“Jah Prayzah brings a major music offer to Nyanga, while the marathon gives people another reason to travel, explore the destination and spend the weekend there.”

The model also gives RTG an opportunity to push Nyanga as a year-round tourism destination, rather than one dependent primarily on conventional leisure and holiday travel.

The group plans to make the marathon an annual event and eventually develop it into a full 42km race, with ambitions of establishing it as a qualifier for major international endurance events such as South Africa’s Comrades Marathon.

The event will also draw on RTG’s wider tourism infrastructure, with accommodation and travel packages being made available to participants and festivalgoers.

The post-race programme will culminate in Jah Prayzah’s performance, supported by additional entertainment and live DJs.

Pacific Breeze is the title sponsor, with Stanbic Bank, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Musarvunda Menthol, Montclair Resort & Conference Centre, Heritage Expeditions Africa, Colourmart Solutions, Aqua Sure, Colcom, Pastons Crents, Morefresh and Defined Media among the supporting partners.

Concert tickets are priced at US$10 for early-bird standard access and US$20 for VIP, while Phase 1 tickets cost US$15 and US$30 respectively.

RTG is also using the event to reinforce its broader Eastern Highlands footprint through Montclair Resort & Conference Hotel, which recently completed a US$2 million refurbishment that increased its room capacity from 85 to 110.

The investment is part of RTG’s wider capital programme, with the group saying it has invested close to US$30 million in product upgrades over the past six years.

Beyond accommodation, its Heritage Expeditions Africa unit provides destination-management services and experiences including game drives, quad biking, boat cruises, mountain biking and transfers, allowing the company to package accommodation, transport and activities into integrated tourism products.