 The Ministry of Tourism has been urged to intensify the marketing of Zambia abroad.
The call is from Courtyard hotel manager Satinder Babbar.
Ms Babbar also says road infra-structure development and ICT services are some of
the challenges which need urgent attenetion if Zambia is to record higher tourist
flows.
Mrs. Babbar observes that Zambia has a huge potential to become one of the leading
tourist destinations in the region and the continent as a whole if the country’s
tourist attractions are aggressively advertised to the international market.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Babbar has disclosed that Courtyard is to build a multi-million
dollar hotel in Livingstone.
She told ZANIS in Lusaka today construction works have already started at the site
where the new hotel will be constructed.
She said the second hotel will be bigger than the one in Lusaka.
And Mrs. Babbar disclosed that Courtyard has recorded a 40 percent increase in
business in view of the 27th SADC heads of State and government summit which
officially opens in Lusaka on Thursday.
The Min of Tourism and the ZNTB spent at least K7 billion on a TV based promotional campaign they call Visit Zambia campaign. Just an example of misdirected, expensive and low output policy. We all know problems of low tourism potential in Zambia have to do with infrastructure and rudimentary ICT facilities. Its just so hard for potential tourists to get any meaningful information on the internet. So why waste time, money getting ill-equiped bureaucrats serving diplomatic duties to start tourism advertising when this could be done most efficiently via internet. An ordinary Zambian cant possibly get into lower zambezi or even kafue national park with a decent SUV. A 4-member, 3-day trip to South Luangwa costs a good $3,000. You can get better entertainment value from O’hagans.
The two Ministries should also consider identifying jobless Zambians living abroad to take up relevant positions that will be available once this programme kicks off. There are some Zambians living abroad who have found themselves in circumstances they didnt intend to. Instead of them going back home and not contribute to national development, they can do it abroad through this programme