The National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) in Northwestern Province has recorded a 45 per cent increase in the number of people visiting heritage sites in the province since 2006.
Northwestern NHCC Regional Director Simon Musonda disclosed this in an interview with ZANIS in Solwezi today.
Mr. Musonda has attributed the increase in the number of people visiting heritage sites to population growth in the area and to the number of sites that have been opened to the public.
He said some of the heritage sites have been provided with basic infrastructure, a development that has provided an additional attraction to people.
Mr. Musonda cited Kifubwa National Monument, Zambezi river source and Mutanda falls as some of the heritage sites which attract a lot of people.
He said these sites were liked by many people because of the educative materials for research and leisure activities found there.
He however said although the commission was currently taking care of 400 heritage sites in Northwestern and Copperbelt provinces, only four were being manned by personnel and were open to the public.
Mr. Musonda said only K16 million was last year raised from the four sites that were currently open to the public.
He however disclosed that plans were underway to soon open up Nyambezu falls in Mwinilunga.
He further said his office was facing challenges in that some people visiting the sites were vandalizing basic infrastructure at the sites.
Mr. Musonda has since advised people visiting the sites to observe rules of the commission by not damaging infrastructure for it to continue providing the social services to the public.
