Government has with immediate effect reduced the Visa Fees from US$150 to US$50 for single entry while double entry has been scaled down from US$340 to US$80 for all foreign tourists.
Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Kaingu announced in Lusaka today that daily entry visa fees have been pegged at US$20 from US$50 respectively
Speaking during a media breakfast meeting in Lusaka today, Mr. Kaingu explained that the move is aimed at attracting more tourists into the country.
He noted that the hiking of the visa fees had disadvantaged Zambia’s tourism sector as some tourists opted to visit countries in the region charging lower Visa Fees.
Mr. Kaingu has since disclosed that government will soon issue a revised Visa Statutory Instrument.
Speaking earlier, Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) Chairman Errol Hickey disclosed that the number of tourists entering Zambia has increased from 400,000 last year to over 800,000 this year.
Mr. Hickey attributed the increase of tourists to the ‘Buy Zambia Tourism Campaign’ initiated by the late republican President Dr. Levy Mwanawasa.
ZANIS/KC/AM/ENDS
The beginning of progress!
Reduce the prohibitive passport charges as well. Why only make incentives for foreigners and not care what we pay to get a passport. The inreased amounts to get a passport are unreasonably high. Could be the highest in the region or the world.
#2 eeeeehhhhh
Very Good. you seem to care more for foreigners than we the locals. Reduce passport fees also, How can we be paying K300,000 for a passport and a foreigner is paying half that amount to enter our countries.
Its a good start but more needs to be done if the tourism industry is to grow. Infrastructure development and more importantly raising local tourism is key to sustaining growth.
thats good. business in livingston will go up
I can assure u Magade will stop work all the reduction of things in Zambia ar being done against his will. Rb is the Marshall. Wait and see wat else they will reduce’ try beer as well will praise u
I see that almost everyone agrees that local tourists are neglected. Zambia’s focus on foreign tourists alone is misguided
Reduce the windfall tax as well,. After all copper prices are plumetting
ANYANDULE….visa fees are supposed to be reciprocated, that is the diplomatic way. if France is over charging we also over charge…now it will be even harder to get british and american visas whilst for them it is easy
800,000 tourists may be an improvement but it’s still pitiful
Zambians in England wait for 12 months for passports renewals applications.Expect 24 months wait with RB government! GOD HAVE MERCY!
DULL DECISION MAKING RB, DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOES ON ABROAD? NO.
GET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT RB.
good move but we need infrastructure if we’r going to improve tourism. find alternative sources for the revenue we’r losing by slashing the visa fees. and it better not be from our meagre salaries!!
Bwanzankoni Na Unga Pulizi Do you think a common man will appreciate this? Look at the plight of a common zambian man.The tourist will bring money to fatten the coffers of the politician.
# 7 The mwine & 10. BUNX Honestly guys i do agree with you, Mwanawasa had seen the need why Visa’s fee’s should raised why reduce them now it was a reciprocal.If they increase we increase. To go oversea’s from Zambia we pay lots of money.They dont say if we raise then less people will come.If people want to come they will come.The number of tourist had increased when they increased the preice is there any redcution of people there.What excuse can they say when the number doubled.Unless they said that they number went to 200,000. Magande is being forced he will stop.I suspect our economy will be going down.With less government income we expect less in reserves means less currency exchange
International tourists should be well sold and then Local.Forex power will be advantage Zed.
Well done GRZ for considering this and hope Mr. Kaingu was not only looking at his Konzo Lodge as first target before he’s been replaced.
Work on the tax and overall commodity prices
Viva H H will be looking for you the whole Zed
cont. rate which then means the economy will be going down and which means they will be excuses why they economy will be doing bad.Looks like thats where its going.I suspect even wind fall taxes will be reduced.Everything will be going down the country instead of having more money to be richer may be become poorer.I really am fearing where this is going lets whatch and see in the next 60 days whats going to happen.
By the way if RB is having problems with magande during reshiffles and NEC he might be moved to a different ministry e.g Agriculture.
Lets see what happens next week. and the next 60 days.
iwe chi mpange wat r u talkin bout?
The minister says we have bn disadvantaged and chairman says there is an increase in tourist entering by 100%,so whats the reason for reducing the fees?Frastrating MAGANDE? reduce the passport fees instead.NYAMA SOYA AT WORK.VIVA HH.
In Zambia people pay lots of monies to go overseas yet those coming in pay less and yet there currencies are higher and money is more accessible than Zambia.
Not many people come to Zambia, its not because visa fees are high people have never heard of Zambia, they need to make proper video’s for people and advertise them in differnt countries.Of there national televisions. And other big name televison companies. Of course it costly but what you get inturn is much more.
The only one i have seen after a search for years is the intercontinetal one, which i have downloaded and shown foreigners and they are planing to go there for there hoilday. Another thing people dont go there its
cont…There scared to come because all the time is Aids this Aids that Zambia. Some have told me they are scared to get Aids if they come, it because Zambia always advertises that. We must fight Aids not advertise.The statistics people are given are magnified they have to be given genuine ones,to remove the fear.I have seen some saying its 1 out of 3. Is that true its not. And when we talk about it we must show its just like any other disease not instill fear in people.
If we can do that as Zambia will have more tourists.
Why care so much about outsiders then your own people what kind of government are you Can some one tell me why the prize of mealie-meal has shot up to more than K60 000 just after voting for RB Don’t tell me that fuel has going up on the international market because it has been stable of later more over Zesco has continued with power cuts soon after RB winning how did the manage during campaigns
please reduce the passport fees also
DEAR GOVT-START WITH YOUR PEOPLE BEFORE YOU JUMP TO THE OUTSIDERS.YESS WE KNOW YOU WANT TO EARN BUT REMEMBER THAT WE ALSO MAKE YOU EARN WHEN WE TRAVEL OUT–REDUCE PASSPORT CHARGES AS MY COLLEGUES HAVE URGED YOU PLEASE
food first then vima visa.
“Speaking earlier, Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) Chairman Errol Hickey disclosed that the number of tourists entering Zambia has increased from 400,000 last year to over 800,000 this year.”
If the number of tourist inreased at $150.00, could some one kindly explain the logic in the above statement v.v. the reduction of Visa fees pronounced by Kaingu/government?
Secondly, are our tourism attractions and facilities only worth $50.00? I feel we need to do more in the tourism industry than merely reducing the fee. Learn from countries like Kenya, Mauritius etc.
May God bless motherland
why does govt have more regard for foreigners??
slash passport prices too!!!
this is bullsh………………………..t
All the above posts seem to miss the point. My company deals with 12,000 tourists per year in Zambia so perhaps I can help explain. Most overseas tourists plan their trip at leats 6 months in advance and many up to a year in advance, Thus many of them had already planned their trip before visa fees came in. To cancel the trip would mean loosing money and so people still come. As of Octiober we have seen a dramatic fall in tourist arrivals in Livinsgtone (our worst month for 5 years) and thus we are now seeing the visa fee effect. Peopel will pay a reasonable visa fee that is in line with other countries but will not pay a very high fee and zambia had in effect priced its self out of
the market. SA Botswana and namibia all have no visa fees so why would someone pay us$140 Plus to come to Zambia?? The idea that people ‘will come anyway’ is incorrect. Ask yourself would you pay US$100 even to go to Botswana. Probably not.
Also teh figures above are compleatly incorrect and sugest a 50% increas ein tourism arrivals this year. I can see from my own figures that tourism has infact dropped 30% this year. Also the actual amount of overseas visitors to Zambia is about 220,000. We can see that 110,000 foreign visitors passed through the gates of the falsl in 2006. This is FACT and not some idle speculation. and its important to understand that Zambias tourism is tiny.
Reduce passport fees please.Make tourism condusive for Zambians as well.
But it has vast potential and this can only be realised by having an open arms policy to foreign tourists. By charging them a high visa we are in effect saying you are not welcome. So what you may say. Well tourism is teh worlds largest industry and largest employer. It has the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty and give them a better life. SA Botswana and Namibia have all accepetd this and all have over 7.00,1.2 and 1.4 million tourists annually. Yet all of their nationals get charged visas but they have agreed that the benifits of free access far oputweigh the revenue from a visa fee.
This is why the decision to reduce visa fees is to be welcome and RB has proved he is a man of vision and of his word. The effect will only be felt next year but for tens of thousands of zambians who supply directly or indirectly to the tourism industry will benifit from this. lets wlcome all tourists to spent their money within Zambia not to scare them off before they even get here.
Lastly the pasport fee charged to zambians may indeed be high (its 800k for the British)but this is a totally different issue to Foreign visa fees and should be treated as such.
for sure dis people are really misguided.has one ever looked at the prices that these chaps charge for their activities, such as helicopter rides, elephant rides,boat crise,banji jumping notwithstanding accomodation itself?why restrict yoselfs to visas only? it is bcoz the money is meant for da poor zambians hence the luck of care? lets be real for once.indeed LPM was man for da people and all his efforts will for sure go down the drain.
#30 Richard, if the information you are giving is correct then there is a good reason to evaluate the fees. However, my second question in #27 still remains to be answered.
May I also say that not every post have missed your point. Read between the lines though you may not have an answer. Ba mwana mayo are raising the ripple effects triggered by this topic.
It might help to look at who else is selling our tourist attraction in their package.
May God bless your efforts.
The way things are going, we may just discover that Zed was sold a while back and we innocent Zambians are at the mercy of who ever bought our country. IMF, World Bank, Chinese,…take your pick!!
And how much do I pay as a tourist to America and UK? Developed countries stealing from the developing third world countries!
POINT OF CORRECTION L.T YO FIGURES ON VISA FEE DOES NOT APPLY TO ZAMBIA,THERE ARE NO NATIONALS PAYING VISA TO ZAMBIA 340 AND 150DOLLARS RESPECTIVELY,THE HIGHEST AMOUNT IS FOR BRITISH WHICH IS 240 POUNDS,AMERICAN IS 135 DOLLARS AND OTHER NATIONALS IS 50 DOLLARS,[BEFORE REDUCING]
The attractions in Zambia are worth what someone will pay. And I can tell you that tourists will not come with a very high visa fee. Zambia is fantastic and has world class attractions. But so does America, China, Tanzania, South Africa etc etc. We are compeating with 180 countries around the world. Lets do so on an equal footing. And to 35. Activity prices within Zambia and Livinsgtone are indeed very high. This is not because the operators are making a fortune (infact many just get by) but due to the very high input costs in zambia. taxation is much higher than any other coutry in teh SADAC region and my busines alone requies 45 licenes to run that cost millions and millions of Kwacha
No one is saying that,its a political compaign?
This on top of teh regions highest fuel cost and teh highest duty regime in teh entire SADAC region. We actually need to bring these prices and taxes down and we will get more tourists and zambians will be better off.
39 the britich pay 240 pounds for a multi entry which at todays rate is us$376.
#40 eish man 45 licenses? They should work on that as well as the tax, that’s why I am PF (sorry if we are affecting your business). I agree Zambia is worth every cent for tourism but greedy people get in the way, fighting over a small pie instead of trying to make a bigger one
Please someone explain why 90% of countries in the world concentrate massive time and effort to nurture their tourism industry while many Zambians feel it is some sort of Parasite on the economy while the opposite is in fact true.
There is a further issue that needs honesty. If 10,000 American tourist come to Zambia how many will stay???
If 10,000 Zambian Tourists go to America how many will stay???
The UK currently has almost 3 million foreign nationals within its boarders and has (at estimate ) almost 1 million illigal foreign nationals. The UK is being forced to protect its boarders sinec teh infrastructre (schools, clinics, hospitals etc) can not come with the massive influx of people. This is teh main reason tat Visas for teh UK, Europe and The states are becoming more expensive and harder to get. My wife recently gave birth in a hospital in teh Uk and every other mother there was form Zimbabwe, zambia,
#44 in addition to the above there’s some kind of perception that the operators get to keep all the money as you say. Possibly because there is still little trickle down to the local population so people assume (wrongly) that it’s all in your pocket. This attitude is not contradicted by the people who ARE actually chewing the money, as it’s not in their interest to expose that
pakastan and india. So politically its now a problem for the Uk government to have an open door policy that they have had for teh last 10 years and also teh UK can not come with teh numbers that have arrived.
well, #44 it probably has to do with the two things. first, the minimal amount of money you pay your zambian employees & second they manner in which they are treated by your “guests”…….. just a thought
48; And an incorrect one.
Do you think Zambia would be better off with no tourists. Perhaps like north Korea.
now unga bwezani a bwezani
True #4. These guys care about foreigners while we suffer through our noses. How much is the USA Visa for goodness sake?
last time i was i Z i asked for the requirements to open atourist point in another country, the requirements were beyond my imagination,thus making it difficult to market zambia.thez tourism board makes it difficult as they want averything to be chaneeld thru them and payments are too much as you pay membership and other baords it was just too complicated for nothing while other govt support pipo who would market their countries materially and all.some pipo dont know z but zimbabwe. imagine south africa marketing vic falls and pipo go to south africa and these pipo just fly over the falls n pay revenue to RSA, alot has to be worked on
How about allowing duo citizenship whilst you are at it!!!
that’s right #52 the tourist board ni malabishi, they just get money from safari, hotels, restaurants, whatever and they do *nothing*
How can a tourist come to Zambia or any other country and pay NOTHING. How can an operator PAY NOTHING. My company spends US$100,000 every month in Livingstone. This goes to the government, employees (60 Zambian), to fuel to groceries etc etc. There is not ONE person in Livingstone or the surrounding area that does not benifit in some way from tourism. The government takes Visa fees, Tax direct and indirect to pay for Roads clinics etc etc. This is the worlds largest industry and yet you want to say you can do without it. Well 12 years ago when I came to Livingstone there was no tourism here and no jobs or mony either. Today there are thousands employed by this industry.
Richard respect man. get this ignorant people told.
I am so happy that the Government has actully reduced the visa fees. I wrote a catalog of letters to the Ministry of Tourism explaining them the same obvious reasons. This was when they had hiked the fees to an unpresidented levels. It was a decision of madness on the Governments part.
What i do not understant is this, i am a very well travelled person and thus been to countries that have made tourism and hospitality a backbone of their economies and yet they have nuthing to offer as such. Non of these countries seem to have fees and those that do are minimal. Y cant Zambia just do the same instead of playing the tit-for-tat game
Richard they need to change Tourist Board they are useless, anyone who thinks we don’t need tourists is seriously mentally ill
Richard i suspect you are opting for a career change. Have you considered taking the post as minister of tourism in the new Government;-0
For those that dont like tourism perhaps pop over to Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe and see what they think!
other statistics suggest tourism will accoutn for half of the worlds GDP by 2020.
Richard go for it 😉
#47 Richard.
You seem to know what you are talking about. Thanks for educating us on tourism in Zed. By your info, I would agree then that RB has done the right thing. After all he is an economist. So he may understand some issues even better than LPM.
I look forward to learning from you more on this matter. I have read about Govt opening up the Northern Circuit – Luapula and Northern Provinces. What’s your take on this.
ba Banda mwalipena how can you reduce the visa price of foregners while the passport for your people in the country is extremely high? bwesheni the price of passport right now if thats the case. Charity begins at home.
Abantu. Passport fees were very minimal for a very long time. You have to bear in mind that the passport office has no other means of generating income and hiking fees would probably work best to even enhance service delivery. Besides mwe banensu mwe benda, you have the money to get a new passport at 300 pin…eish
#79 Richard.
I have popped into Vic Falls. We had part of our honey moon there. We were impressed. I really hope we will have something like that in Zambia. The infrastrature is awesome. We actually hope to visit the place in future.
Richard, there’s so much investment in our mining sector due to high demand of copper. What’s the investment climate for tourism in Zambia? I know it will take foreign investment to create a Vic Falls in Zed. What incentives has Govt put in place to prop up this sector?
what progress are you talking about and whose benefit?
#64 good point. K300k is alright. Zambians spend that amount to buy one return bus ticket to RSA. It’s nothing to business travellers. May be students and us non-business people can complain. My hope is they should extend the deadline to renew passports so we can save up the money.
#64 but the price as gone too high my dear from 72000 to 300,000 thats too much. But why reducing prices for visa?
This reduction is welcome but I feel it too much. Anyhow, let us see how this will impact on our economy.
Tourism in Zambia is highly regulated and stiffeled by cost and licences. However the government recognises this and has a program in place to start a fast track licening office where all licencing is done. This process is on going. Zambia has great opportunity and the reduction in visa fees will certainly help. But be warned that costs are very high so any investment must be carefully thought through and planned. I do beleive that RB has a good grasp of what it needs to grow this sector and also he sees that it can create huge opportunities and employment.
63 what are you talking about. A passport is a multi page document with a photo and security tag that costs money to produce. while a Visa is a useless piece of paper that cost almost nothing to produce.
#70 Richard they’ve been going on about that fast track system for years, nothing happens. I’m surprised at your optimism, they’ll just carry on milking you, dragging their heels and “losing” documents to try to extract bribes, tell me I’m wrong 😉
#71 Richard, I paid $100 for my USA visa and you think thats nothing? It was more expencisive than my passport and this money is non refundable whether you are issued with a visa or not. At least I got mine.
The northern circuit is great but its premature to concentrate on it while the main centres of tourism Lstone, lower zam, Kafue and Luangwa are not pumping. If all the aformentined where full of tourists then the Northern circuit will become viable with little effort. But there is a long way to go on the main centres. Unfortuanatly all effort has gone into mining in the last 5 years and agriculture and tourism have been neglected.
Can they also reduce the fees for trading licenses. Its just too high how do they increase from 135,000 to 1,000,000 that’s total madness. As long as the fee remains at 1,000,000 you are just ecouraging people to be trading illegaly.
73 where have i said anywhere that US$100 is nothing. Its high. As was and is Zambias Visa fee. You are complaining about it then why would someone from Europe or the states not do the same?????????
72 yea thats true. But I live in livingstone and thus optimism is an essential asset.
77 I guess so, or a change of government might help too 😉 Shame HH is too proud for progress
You have finally got what you wanted but
one clear thing is that no matter how many
tourists come to Zambia an ordinary Zedian will never benefit rightly. Despite those in the hospitality industry making huge profits, they do not spent even a cent on infrastructure. Just look at all the roads leading to the most lodges in Livingstone. The lodge owners still look up to GRZ to repair them despite that its revenue base has been reduced.
They pay their workers next to nothing yet the same workers need to send their children to schools which are Govt. funded. When they get sick they are sent by their employers to GRZ hospitals for medication.
GOOD MOVE BUT WHATS THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS?
# RICHARD- i agree with you on all your postings the licences to pay are many but if one want to open a zambia tourist infor center.its so difficult to get literature and one cant be a member of all those org that restaurants and tour operators have to be this infor center is abroad andyet they demand to see or have acces to the bussines as they want somesort of influence or ownership or control if i can say and i think they demand the mantion of the tourist board. the process is frustrating and long.but muzungu they just unleash infor just like that.
# 69 Maestro .. Kwamba Musa? The impact on the economy is adverse. we lose on possible external earnings given the pull factors associated with tourism. The number of tourist and foreign nationals visiting Zambia has been increase in the recent quota. Its partly the reason why the Kwacha is rare and Central Bank may as well decide to hold local currency to raise its demand so as to stabilise the unfavarable exchange rate fluctuations in the economy in the short run.
Kopona Kabotu musa. Lesa amipale bonse. Mulungu adalise ana ake onse.
They should also reduce the fees for passports.
Bad move Ba Banda.Start wit your people
I told you there is so much care for the foreigners. Zambia wake up!! your people first!! I am suffering here to access certain things on account that I am a foreigner but in Zambia its vice versa. Just because he is a foreigner they always think he has money to oil their hands.
It hope it is fair to the country.Otherwise they should have reduced them by 40%.
# 69 I Feel you.
Richard….. are you the one from Mombova by the way?
Suppergal where are you trying to open a business???
79: Its a shame you are so nagative. I have 60 staff here in Livingstone and my monthly wage will exceed us$20,000. I dont think for a minute you have any concept of the cost of running a business here or the cost of doing up a road. You also generalise about all operators where just like anywhere they will always be good and bad. Have you been on the Chiababi road in the last two years. If so I spent US$11,000 of my own money repairing it. But its not my road and dozens of Taxis use it and its not my responsibility. I also just spent US$10k on repaiing teh road to Waterberry lodge which is used by dozens of taxis
every day going to Mandia village.
#21 – Agreed! We spend all our eforts advertising aids and displaying our infection rates. When people learn about zambia they are alarmed at the hiv infection. we dont advertise anything on youtube and dont use the net to show off what good there is. Visa fees should be scrapped altogether as some travellers are discouraged altogether – make the fees a $10 charge and more will be spent buying in the country. We just need to open up our country completely and one starting point is to relaxing our citizenship laws therefore enabling expatriates to become zambians much easily, say after 3 yrs. they in turn will sell the country better.
*88 No I am the one from Livingstone also of Mukuni.
Since I seem to be the only one with a tourism business let me give some figures.
It cost me us$18,000 a month to run a small tourism company in the gorge. We employ 12 staff (ll zambian) the manager is paid about US$1200 a month and the total staff bill is US$8000. The rest of teh money goes to tax, licences, food and fuel and drinks. Probaly after with salery tax the government gets 40% of this. 79: As lodge owners spending nothing on infrastructue please explain how they can build a lodge without spending anything since i need to know that trick.
you are right Richard…. some people will never understand how things work. you always get the jealous ones.
Work is better than no work even with little pay. Pay is all about supply and demand of labour. Zambia has a huge problem of unemployment. Even with this in mind, some people want to vilify those businesses who provide some form of employment to the masses.
Unless there is a radicle change in thinking from people like 79 zambia will not get anywer.
If anyone thinks of Swaziland Come for the beautiful ladies at your own peril. I was on Site at the ART Centre for my research. 68 people came for tests today and 49 tested positive. Zambia should continue advertising HIV/AIDS. its deadly.
ricahrd you are not the only one with a business in livingstone. I (family)to have interest in livingstone (fallsway lodge hint hint..) and i totally agree with you in 92 and the cost involved in running a tourist operation in livingstone.
Its a pity you have to bring in so much of your stats on finance to explain the ignorant
#82, Mundyoli Munchile, ndalumba kapati. Kamupona kabotu andinwe ooko. I just these seemingly President RB Banda measures will work towards improving the economy. Otherwise, these short run actitives may have longterm implications if not handled carefully.
ecHi-ecHi.
I welcome the reduction in Visa fees to Zambia but I reiterate my concern over passport charges. I know it is not a related topic, but it is worth discussing here. Whatever the cost of making one’s passport is, I think every Zambian citizen has a right to a passport. As such, that right must not be violeted by the imposition of prohibitive charges. I was asking a friend from Botswana how much it costs to get a passport there and I was told it costs about K60,000. I tend to wonder why there is this madness in our case where everything is just high. Income tax, duty, VAT, commodity prices including fuel, name it. I wish the authorities can do something over this.
I agree #97 it’s just a ka book with a photo and a barcode. But when they bring the biometric ones… that equipment is expensive
zambia zambia zambia!!!!!!!!! awe sure. we overcharge ur own people and reduce prices for foreigners!!! the loses the coutry will encounter because of this development will be covered for by the zedians: increasing the passport fees and taxes. Most coumtries give their citizens passports at such a low charge, it is almost free. but for us…
“We need similar ideologies. Patriotic Front (PF) President Michael Sata says political parties should only merge if they hold similar political ideologies. Mr. Sata says there is no need for political parties that do not have a similar agenda to come together. He was responding to a question on the need for the opposition parties to merge in a bid to oust the ruling MMD from government. This was during a press briefing in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, Friday. Mr. Sata questioned the credibility of the Zambian electoral system under the current legislation. He also reiterated his party’s plans to petition President Rupiah Banda’s election.” Source: w w w . z n b c . c o . z m. Why ask UPND?
I think we should not compare ourselves with Botswana. That country is mega rich from the diamonds. Their population is much smaller than ours and they have vast forex reserves >$6bn whilst we only just saved up $1bn. Botswana can afford to subsidize the cost of living for their citizens.
It’s just like here in the UK. The country is mega rich, they even pay people who don’t work and extensively subsidize their farmers. Actually some farmers are paid for not farming at all.
Hey Richard, I am going home. Can we please continue discussing tourism next week. I am connected at home but my wife will kill me if I spend too much time on the net on the weekend.
Hope to see you guys. God bless Zambia with all the knowledge and wisdom we ned to develop tourism. Good weekend.
Probably just a way of encouraging more Chinese / Indians to come thru and explore investment opportunities in the chicken / trading industry….
ALready these are weakness re-surfacing from RB, check how much other countries charge for entry, to renew a visa in the uk, you pay thru your nose, £300, and thats a source of revenue for the govt. The worst is yet to come!!
Guys they are talking of tourist visas not ma choncholi mwe, those are business permits and investors licenses not visas…
Gardafi i suggest to start reading from the top post by post because we have already discussed your ignorance in the posting above and we have moved on.
Sony Ericsson (105), thats how it starts my friend. Visa for a visit and before you know it, the chocholi’s are paying back handers to obtain work permits dubiously! Why do you think they’re not so free to move around or even open their gates when you accidentaly find yourself knocking at their gates – the chaps have dubious work permits and they think everyone that knocks on their gates is immigration!
Sure 107 they just bribe they don’t even visit immigration, my friend works there and they don’t come it just “happens” somewhere else. But tourism is important man that’s all I’m saying. It’s money
even if the visa was expensive the choncholis would still come, you think these guys care about $100?
I agree with you Ericsson, just worried this facility will be abused and to make matters worse, our systems are so weak we’ll have a whole bunch of foreigners not visiting but working in Zambia within short periods of time / Our jobs gone and being exploited.
Whatever happened to priorities….VISA fees surely?
Richard, (posts 30/31-34, 40/4 4- 45)
I agree with some of the contributions you have made; as to why tourist visa fees for Zambia need to be reduced. However; I beg to differ on your reasons (post # 44) you gave as to why the British and other EU countries charge high visa fees – “protecting their boarders”. Believe me; if they were seriously concerned about the impact of this and needed to ‘protect their boarders’; they will simply do so without having to charge the huge fees that they charge. In my opinion, most countries have realised that they can actually raise revenue (adding to their GDP immensely) through such fees and are therefore are doing so as opposed to just relaying on the
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on their traditional means of raising revenue i.e. exporting, manufacturing etc, etc. I do acknowledge that there is a lot of strain on the services such as hospitals, transport, schools which has been attributed to the increase in population – unfortunately mostly ‘immigrants’. I say unfortunately because even from the statistics which you gave, one is able to draw a sound conclusion that the impact or strain on such services by immigrants is very minimal. For example considering the fact that the current UK population is 60 million plus. The problem that exists in my opinion; is that there is a lot of stereotyping and politicking when it comes to issues such as this
..continued (112)
And unfortunately because of ignorance most people think every immigrant is a free loader, forgetting the fact that perhaps they too do actually have a right to the services in someway or another i.e. citizens by neutralisation, students, professionals etc. etc whom all pay taxes just like everyone else. The only thing that is different about them is their ethnicity. One would therefore wonder; from the different woman that you mentioned (Zambian, Zimbabwean, Pakistani and Indian), that were at the same hospital as your wife; how many fell in the above categories and how many where actual illegal immigrants? Or should we also just join the bandwagon and stereotype just
..continued (113)
like everyone else without giving it proper thought?
#27. Chanda Musyalike
Tourism is a very good industry if managed well. I support the reduction in visa fees. This will increase tourism traffic.
The only reason tourism traffic increased in the past year is due to the problems being faced in Zimbabwe.
The reduction in visa fees however will increase the traffic in tourism as it will make travel to Zambia less expensive. Mind you to travel to Zambia, sometimes you need to pass through OR Tambo and this is a long and expensive trip. Visa fees will reduce the burden and increase business for tourism operators.
I support the visa fee reduction. Congratulations RB govt. You are a true economist.
There is a reason why people who understand economics like Magande and others should lead the country. RB thinks its all about pleasing people, reduce this reduce that. Which foreigner in their wildest minds would pay $3200 for a ticket to Zambia and then complain about $100 for a visa.
We seriously need to fire some of these Ministers that talk nonsense. Especially now that people are not going to Zimbabwe to see the falls, why not capitalize on these tourists. Can you imagine the amount of money the US and UK make from people applying for a visa, half the time most people are denied with no refund.
#116. Zambia Development
The US and UK are a different story. If VISA fees where low in the UK/US, people would be flocking to those countries. Already they have an immigration problem in those countries and so VISA fees is a way to reduce immigration to the US/UK.
Zambia is a different story. If you think everyone wants to come to Zambia you are wrong. Most people cannot even point to where Zambia is on the map. They know where Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe are but Zambia they don’t even know.
Aside from advertising, visa fees is a way of encouraging tourism. If people see a lower visa fee, they’ll be more interested to visit that country because it has become cheaper.
cont from #117]
Mind you traveling to Zambia is expensive and tourist work on budget. By charging lower visa fees, you are giving them a break on their budget.
Think of it this way, a reduction in visa fees will result in more tourism traffic. This will then result in more tour operators and with more operators comes a lot of competition. With more competition, this will result in lower prices and will then result into the average Zambian affording to travel to livingstone and enjoying the incentives.
Of course we do have to work on other issues like taxes and licences.
RB is a true economist. He is thinking of the long run. Like it or not, tourism has employed a lot of people in livings
#94 There’s nothing new in your disclosure. These stats. are all over the net. Where the f..k have you been? Moron. Good luck with your nothing’s-gonna-change research. We have been screwing since 1980. Get a life!
Why slashing fees yet zambians are subjected to high fees when they visit most countries
#120. Anonymous
Zambia and other countries are different.
Other countries are in high demand in terms of tourism. Zambia is not.
ba “Free-Market-Capitalist” (Comment # 121) you seem to be educated but actually… I have questioned your thought- on what position is Zambia in terms of tourism and how do nations below us deal with matter and what reasons do they have for such a situation?
Ok brothers and sisters, it has been an honour chatting with you. I now have to get to bed. Ciao!
Richard, #117 Free Market Capitalist and all objective contributors to this topic, I salute you for the quality contributions on this topic.
If Zim’s loss is our gain, then I fear it may not last. One day, may be sooner than expected, Zim will recover and we shall be back to square one… with our low fees! Richard and all those in the tourism industry is it not time you sharpened the skills to raise our tourism standards higher so that even when Zim recovers our tourism will float?
Lastly, is Mosi-O-Tunya falls restricted to Tour Operators in Zambia or can any country include it in their package? Some tourists think that it is in SA. Ndalumba kapati. God bless our motherland us all.
I think the main gist of attracting tourism does not depend on the
visa fees charged. You have to ‘sell your country’ and it’s main
alluring attributes. As things stand, and until we have attained a
‘level playing field’ in all areas of human endeavour, it is folly to
simply say, ‘if they increase their visa fees we will increase ours
to the same level’. Who needs the currency more, at the moment?
I envisage that with good leadership and vision,(which we recently
missed in Zambia) there should be an opportunity for Africa to dictate the economic dynamics.
#30 people didn’t stop coming because of visa fees, its due to global economical down turn. everyone is feeling the pinch even with slashing fees tourist won’t come because they are credit crunched.
Yes the Muzungu has CASH….Entice him at any chance to leave his wonderful Kwacha in Zambia.
I spent many millions while there on holiday anjoying the lovely things you have.
Visa fees are fine.
Just get rid of the VAT on meals which can be highway robbery sometimes.
When are you going to reduce the price of fuel and passport charges?
Ok. Guys Tourism! what is this animal called tourism??? who really benifits Zambians??? Zambian no! tho supply casual labour force??? Ok its simple our clients in most of the hotel and hospitality industry pay in USA Dollars – do you think the owners bank this money in Zambia, Is your govt able to know how much these guys rip and take out of this country??? For your own info most of the money that is raised from tourism ventures in Zambia is never spent here it is used outside I bet you agree. Eco/Sustainble tourism what does it mean and who benfits?? Cultural Tourism woh! we perform for our European clients and that is cultural tourism NO!!! Lets go local partner up as Zambians Ah! VISA !!!
Hello ba LT? Hello! Where are my posts?
#128 Get a British one and one from Katondo mate. Sorted!
As much as I agree the reduction of visa fees, I think the (RB) government has it very WRONG to prioritise it. I am an employee in one of the prime safari operators in South Luangwa and for many years I have seen my co-mzungu workers travelling on tourist visas when they are actually coming to work for a season. It was even worse when there was ‘a visa exemption policy’. There was a lot of cheating and there is still a lot of ABUSE by tour operators. And they were the first ones to cry foul when the government re-introduced paying for tourist visas. I can CONFIRM to everyone reading this blog the influx of tourist coming to Zambia has not been affected by the increase of visa fees; why
Let the visa to usa be reduced as well.
why should one complain to pay for $150 visa when they are paying for a $20,000 safari??!! Not in South Luangwa. As someone mentioned on the blog, we have a large influx of expat workers who come to Zambia disguised as tourists. The waitresses, clerks, barmen etc in their countries become Managers when they are employed by these selfish tour operators. No one can tell me that Zambia lacks intelligent and educated young men and women who best equipped to do these jobs but are DEPRIVED!! Apart from grabbing our jobs, they get away with tax free remunerations paid into their bank accounts from off-shore accounts. I mourn the deregulation by the Immigration department for not monitoring wha
what goes on the ground. I speak as an insider and I have seen these perpetuated injustices for many years. Someone MUST put a stop to them. Who really benefits from tourism? The foreign bastards who have invested into it and NOT the local Zambians. It is very biased industry. RB, thank you for slashing the fees in order to enrich the foreign investor.
Next year a tourist travelling to Zambia will pay an average rate of $900(equivalent of ZK3,600,000) PER PERSON PER NIGHT
#27 you are a very sensible chap. BRAVO!! RB has given in due to safari operators cry and petitioning the visa fees increas but there is a lot that government can do to attract tourists. invsest into a CHEAP airline company to service all tourist destinations. I am now told it costs $500 return to fly from lsk to Mfuwe more than it costs to fly from England to the sunny Greece. Look at how cheap it is to domestically in SA. Is slashing visa fees the only immediate alternative to improving our Zambian tourism? What a let down. Kaingu I know you are coming here for WTM next week I will make sure to visit on Zed stand.
The Namibian government just increased the student permit fees almost twice and their visa fees have also be increased.I wonder why we Zambians like moving backwards instead of forward.Why not help Zambians first before the tourist.We don’t even know how we will get are permits next year because the Zambian embassy is not even willing to assist us with the permit processing
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Its not progress fellow bloggers, this is retrogressive , foreigner need to be charged as much as possible. Other countries are making them high and you are reducing meanwjile the currency is also depreciating, what the main point anyway? This govt seems to care alot about foreigners than the local people. This govt must be negotiating with foreign ambassies to reduce the visa fees and not the other way. Its really a pity how this govt sinks so low in such affairs. If I may even ask what does the Zambian govt benefit from tourism when almost all the tourist attractions are owned by the foreigners? When will Zambia wake up really!
How bazaar. 138 you say ‘Why not help Zambians first before the tourist’. By helping the tourist the Government are helping Zambians.
136 you say ‘ Next year a tourist travelling to Zambia will pay an average rate of $900’ what total rubbish. This is only true for the very top 3-4 lodges in the country. Infact most people will pay between US$80 and 150 a night. My lodge charges US$40 per night and we do VOLUME which means more tourists which means more jobs more money nd more opportiunity.
Another post above says ‘the average fliught to Zambia is US$3600’ from where?? maybe business class. Florida to Lstone via cape town next june US$2200 return London Lusaka same time us$1200.
Boma, while you’re at it please reduce the price of ignorance!
Has passport fee changed from k71,000 to more?This is good news for zambia at large on visa fee reduction.KENYA has the same policy and is doing fine on tourism sector.What we need to do now as preriquisite to tourism developement,is to remove restrictions on temporal permits to stay in zambia. Immigrations rules should change for the better or else it will mean nothing.More time to be in the country, more expenditure and indeed more forex or dollar if you like.
We are paying the price of having uninformed ministers. We Zambians pay through the skin of our teeth to go abroad, plus the new passport fees. With low visas how are we going to clean the environment which these infestors in the name of tourist polute? Remember as well most of the hotels and travel companies are owned by foreigners meaning that a tourist will only in the end just polute Zambia while all the monies remain back home. Can we educate our ministers what globalisation is about before they finish selling Zambia.
Richard I respect your contribution but I understand your frustration because your company caters for low budget travellers/campers. Most people hate the truth but let me lay the facts on the table for you. Zambia’s prime camps/lodges will be charging the average rate of :- $900 per person per night for LOWER ZAMBEZI CAMPS,$700 per person per night for LIVINGSTONE and SOUTH LUANGWA and $650 per person per night for KAFUE. If you still insist that I am talking ‘rubbish’ I will point you to respective tour operator’s websites for your perusal. The government would have done better. Right now, tour operators in South Luangwa are struggling due to one airline flying this route at (conti)
140: Tell you what. Lets charge all tourists us$10,000 visa fee then in a year we will have enough money to compleatly do away with the pesky tourists. who do they think they are anyway coming here and spending all that money and provinding jobs. Far better to get rid of the lot of them.
Zulu you are right about the prices you quote. But you confuse the small upmarket tourism industry with the mass market industry that provides mass jobs. Like Kenya. There will always be exceptions but you cant base your policy on what 2% of the market is doing at the top end. If you do you loose the other 98%. Also the reason that the ailines are struggling to fly to Luangwa and Zambian Airways is pulling the route is through LACK OF DEMAND. You are going to see a major fall in numbers next year due to the world recession and therefore we need to nurture the mass market as much as possible.
144 you are classic. Firstly teh government does understand globalisation and realises that without outside investment Zambia will not develop. Second you should visit a few of these polluting lodges. How much litter will you see around them?? Where does their effluent go?? We all get inspected by ECZ and have to conform to strick guidelines. But look at the towns and even the local sewage line of Livinsgtone that is today pouring effluet direct into the maramba river right next to the old cultural centre. If a lodge did such things they would loose their business licence through ECZ and also their customers.
I am off. been an interseting discussion and although I find the anti investor anti tourism aspect of some posts depressing and bazaar I think that its great that everyone can air their view and have a proper discussion. That at least should be celebrated.
One aspect I have not broached is a few posts that suggest that its easier for an investor in zambia than a local. This is a total myth. We spend thousands of US$ just to get immigration permits and are goverened by strick guidelines. We are targeted by teh authorites since we are very visable. Getting money froma bank is almost impossible and we often borrow of family and friend overseas to fund business or expansion.
#149 aha ba business man kaili! lol! No wonder I no longer give to Zambians.
What about the passports?
Am writing to just caution Governement to seriously look at the plight of all local people by also reducing the amount people are paying just to acquire a passport.Zambia is the only country in the region or in the world that offers or charges hihg fees on passports. It really is not fare to see us as Zambians fail to just get a passport because of the amount impossed on Zambians. It is quite logical people if favour can be shown to the foreigners who come to Tour Zambian why not also extend the very same favour to your people.They say, “clean where you stay, and later clean your neighbour’s place.” We all need to enjoy what God has blessed us with. Surely Government can not be one sided.
Am writing to just caution Governement to seriously look at the plight of all local people by also reducing the amount people are paying just to acquire a passport.Zambia is the only country in the region or in the world that offers or charges high fees on passports. It really is not fare to see us as Zambians fail to just get a passport because of the amount impossed. It is quite logical people, if favour can be shown to the foreigners who come to Tour Zambia, why not also extend the very same favour to your people.They say, “clean where you stay, and later clean your neighbour’s place.” We all need to enjoy what God has blessed us with. Surely Government can not be one sided. Ifi,Twasosa!
Much as we appreciate the reducing of the VISA fees we should not be so comfortable bane, lookat the maltitudes of people in Zambia they are unemployed and can barely afford the five hundred thuosand kwacha that has been slamped on them to just acquire what is rightfuly theirs, we have forsaken our own people and have put outsiders interest first. We must not forget the fact that Zambians are the same people who actually vote leaders into power and not outsiders. First priority should be given to the local inhabitants and secondly the outsiders. Look at Botswana, it puts its people first and we can also learn from them as a very good,i really cherish their system.That’s Respect for the pipo.
Another poor decision by “self-hating Zambians”. Two problems: 1. RB is really setting a dangerous trend whereby fiscal policy is being driven by public statements. What is next? There windfall taxes will not come through in full as the $2.50/Lb has already been breached. The direct and indirect spending the budget has gone through the roof. Taxes on fuel were cut and then the whole fertiliser directive during elections wont help either. Tighten up for higher PAYE, VAT next year…
2. yes the visa fee was high but what we pay to go the UK and other parts of Europe is just as ridiculous. The big issue though is that most people dont know where Zed is – we have failed to sell ourselves. Thats where the focus should be. Secondly you need to develop a domestic tourism culture. Most of us have never seen our own country and its not marketed to us. Its great to be a foreigner in Zed but not a Zedian in Zed.
I recently visited a game lodge in Namibia where I got 20% discount for being a SADC citizen. This is one unique feature that I have noted which encourages locals to actually visit such places. Last I was in Zambia I was even ridiculed about having a foreign car plate and asking for concession… I have had more fun visiting places of interest outside of my own country than inside my own…
I had no idea that it cost so much just to get a visa!!! What the hell? Good idea on that reduction, am looking forward to hearing about ubwali also.
BUT Y HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO DO IS.WE HAVE LOST ALOT WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ZIM PROBLEM AS ANY ADVANTAGE.