The Zambian Government yesterday launched the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Integrated Development Plan, KAZA, aimed at enhancing the growth of the tourism sector in the Southern African region.
Speaking shortly after the launch of the programme Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Michael Kaingu, said the launch of the integrated plan will significantly assist in the attainment of the social, economic and environmental goals set by the Zambian government.
He cited Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Botswana and Zambia as key countries to benefit immensely from the KAZA integrated plan.
He said the move to sign the Memorandum of understanding was also aimed at improving the living standards of people in both Western and Southern provinces of the country respectively.
Mr Kaingu said the KAZA integrated plan will target three national parks that include Mosi-o-tunya, Kafue and Sioma-Ngwezi national parks respectively.
He cited infrastructure development such as roads, airports, hotels and the Private Public Partnership (PPP) as some of the extra remedial measures that the government has put in place to facilitate the growth of the tourism sector.
Mr Kaingu challenged entrepreneurs in the country to seriously invest in the sector by other developing places with attractive features such as water falls.
He said Zambia was still an attractive tourist destination with variety of unique tourism products that other countries did not have which he said needed to be exploited.
Mr Kaingu said ZTB should make the 2010 Soccer World Cup slated for South Africa and the 2011 All African Games to be held in Zambia a marketing tool for the development of the country’s tourism sector.
He also disclosed that his ministry is in the process of coming up with the carnival type of tourism that would enable the country to market its tourism potential meaningfully to other regions.
And speaking earlier at the launch of the KAZA programme, Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people of Southern Province pledged total support to the KAZA integrated plan and assured government of his subjects support to the programme.
Chief Mukuni said the successful launch of the programme will play a paramount role in the transformation of the Livingstone city and other surrounding areas as it would help in boasting Zambia’s tourism potential to greater heights.
He further urged his subjects to support the government plan in an effort to enhance tourism development and employment creation for the people.
LT, FIX YOUR WEBSITE TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY. THE NONSENS OF DUPLICATES, POSTING THE COMMENTS TOO QUICKLY IS AN INDICATION OF HOW WEAK YOUR SITE IS THERE4 NEEDING FIXING, OR RATHER OPTMIZING. I AM SURE BLOGGERS WILL AGREE WITH ME. ITS IRRITATING AND TIME WASTING TO SAY THE LEAST.
Way to go Bo Kaingu, and please improve the meals served at your roadside restaurant at Kozo Lodge.
This is the way to go, the strength of this part of Zambia lays in tourism and through the intergration of the parks located in this area, the better the range of tourism destinations and the more the number of tourists who will perceive this as a genuine tourism destination. The only task where the government has to play a major role is the network, though the Zambezi river provides a natural one especially for Loziz who are good swimmers.
I agree with #1 submiting takes a hell lot of our time. LT pls improve or else you will more, am i sure you have made enough bucks for improvement.
What a pity most of the lodges are owned or run by Muzungus
#5 Bloody Mugabe-out Nobody has stopped non-muzungus or even yourself from owning lodges!
I recently went to set up a company dealing in Tourism at PACRO in Lusaka.This was a two day procedure and without hassles.
I do not see where this Muzungu issue should come in.
#5,do you have an opposite experience to support your claim?
#6 I agree with you, #5 is so colonial. There no barriers for non-muzungus to own or even run lodges in our Country. I am a non-muzungu running and owning a lodge. So why can’t you? Think twice!
It`s exciting news to read about how Zambia is improving in becoming an attractive tourist destination.
The exagerated cost of vacational packages is something that needs to be addressed if we want to increase the flow of tourists to Zambia.Deliberate effort should be applied in opening up our beautiful landlocked country by not only fixing the existing roads but also constructing new ones.LPM once talked about the heavyduty road construction equipment that was on its way from China.I hope it wasn`t just political pondering but reality because that would usher in enomous development.
#5 you cant really blame muzungu if zambian didnt think fast enough or is/was too reluctant to make lodges. I guess its all about priorities and choices at the end of the day need i say more!!
Amen #6 Muzungu
I second.
I SAY NO TO RACISM.
#5
You are very ignorant.
Go seek citizenship in Zimbabwe.
We don’t need the likes of you in our country.
Also, on way to Harare, you should also purchase a brain.
Hey… Talk about what we have to offer in terms of tourism… then what?
The poor road network? Poor communication? Even if we have all the God given beatiful animals and amazing sites. Its hectic for one to travel there.
Not to mention the exaggerated costs involved at the lodges!!!
#6 Muzungu..dont be a twat and buzz off to your own country…MOTHER COW!!!!
All you guys siding with Muzungu have been brain washed..Do you really think your puny little lodges are making money like his??..You fools should know that they keep money in their community and will never share their clients with you.The first world countries have nothing to offer them..so they come to yours…throw you a few morsels and everything is hunky doree..wait till the golf clubs start refusing entry to you crazy_zambian..then we will talk!!!
Crazy_zambian…I made my money and left your country years ago!!!..ha ha ha..will be back when i need to make more
Good progress in the tourism sector. However, GRZ should try to check the oprations of some hotels so that the country can get the much needed revenue. I will give one example of sun hotel in Livingstone, it is more expensive to book a room in Zambia that it is to book the same room from South Africa. So most foreign tourists pay room charges in South Africa and only come with reciepts to sleep in Zambia. South Africa gets the revenue meant for Zamiba because all money is paid from that country.
#15. Mugabe-out
“All you guys siding with Muzungu have been brain washed”
Please explain how we are brainwashed????
“You fools should know that they keep money in their community and will never share their clients with you.”
Maybe you should cross over to the 21st century. Zambia is now a capitalist free market economy. You are supposed to compete for clients not share them. If you dont get clients then maybe you’re not doing your job or running your business right. We are now in a free market. Times of communist socialist societies are long gone with KK. We are in the era of the free market. Deal with it.
cont…
Also, what they do with there money is there own business not ours nor the govts. Wanting to know how an individual uses his money is a violation of human rights. Everyone has a right to privacy.
“wait till the golf clubs start refusing entry to you crazy_zambian..then we will talk!!”
Explain why they would do this. I think this is not a fact but rather your opinion. Stop using Ad Hominem tactics and actually say something sensible. Give us in depth information of the claims you’re making and back them up with hardcore facts.
You want to open a Golf course, go ahead, its the free market no one will stop you. Then you can deny them (whites) entry to your Golf course.
GROW UP!!!
My only appeal to the Zambian Tourism is to improve their marketing of Zambia. For example, I got a CD to market my country somewhere in this part of the world but I found the CD to be shallow and embarrasing. It doesnt even show properly our Capital City , our Parliament, rather it goes straight to show victoria Falls and animals. Lets also try to update the same CD and also update the Zambia Tourism Site.
Please, the powers that be, look into this issue critically.
Guys, forget about Mugabe, let’s comment progressively on this topic. #7 Makweti, your anectode inspires me to try the same. Hey guys, we should be rejoicing that our country is beginning to realise how much potential it can usurp from tourism. I know what roads, airports and hotels are but can someone explain Private Public Partnership (PPP) to me?
A private venture funded through Government and private money
pliz help me.one night i tried to book my family some accommodation in one of the lodges along livingstone/kazungula road.i was shooked to be told that all bookings are done in south africa.to the worst a white family behind us was allowed.before i left i asked a guard,who briefed me in nyanja that in most lodges they are saying it was fully booked to blacks but available to whites.being a black Zambian i feel bad that very few Zambians are benefiting from their resources.am starting my leave nextweek,and i will be back home,therefore, i need advice from you my fellow Zambian lawyers to open a case of discrimination.
#20 where did you get the CD? I guess from Matero University be cause if you had gotten one from the Tourism Board you would have benn singing another song by now. Use the right xhannels and genuine offices and not back door
To be honest the ZNTB (ZTB) CD is crap unless they have updated it more recently. On owning lodges in Zambia, it is relatively simple to have a lodge in lusaka or copperbelt and I bet anyone who says they have a lodge here on this blog must be talking about these two areas. Try establishing a lodge were the real tourism money is in South Luangwa national park, Livingstone area near Vic falls and lower Zambezi area see how difficult it will be. Generally though the tourism industry in Zambia is looking good we just need to work on infrastructure and develop other tourism sites like the northern park of the country.
… and perhaps also encourage Zambians to see more of Zambia. Get the locals excited about Zambia and the foreigners will come to see what all the excitement is about.
NO.24. I got the CD right from Zambia National Tourism Board and is original. The quality of CD is good but the content is not impressive. As a country we need to be serious in some of the things we are doing, in this case advertising our own country to the outside world. Go and get one from ZNTB, then you will understand what I’m saying.
I go along with what you guys are saying.There is still huge untapped potenetial in Zambian tourism. Zambia could treble the number of tourists with proper marketing. The tourism board should spend more money marketing the country professionally. If they do the job properly the money will be returned 10 times
Too much yapping, yapping and and yapping in Zambia. Get to work all of you!
Unfortunately it is true that although Zambian citizens/residents are support to get better local rates, most Zambians are turned away from the lodges/hotels on the pretext that they are full. The staff are treated poorly – worse then the animals in the game parks!!! But at the end of the day we need to get off our backsides and actually start taking an active role in the development of this country.
#25 and #27, i agree with you.ZNTB should sell Zambia more.They are doing nothing much,Check with Zim next door, even if they are in some political situations, the Tourists are talking about going there.Work hard guys and will have alot of employment created.
#31 even just here our neghbours dont know that we share the victoria falls.worse when i was in spain,people thought even the zambezi river is only in Zimbabwe.shame on you ZNTB.where are those who used to promote Zambia in the sun, Zambia the real africa? Botswana is doing well with only chobe.why cant we do better?
I totally agree with #25,#27 and #31.ZNTB are not doing any jack to market Zed overseas.Take for instance SA,these guys advertise on international news media like BBC,CNN,EuroNews,Aljazeera etc.Look at the audience these guys are targeting.I was shocked to see Angola being advertised on CNN.Where is the ZNTB?Who is the MD?This org needs an overhaul.