Protea Hotels Zambia is set to construct a hotel Chiawa, a move seen would help boost the tourism potential in the area.
Protea Hotel Group Consultant Shadrick Nsongela says the group of hotels, managed by Union Gold Zambia limited, the extension of its services to Chiawa is aimed at promoting the under tapped tourism potential of the lower Zambezi national park and Chiawa game management area.
Mr Nsongela says the development of an ultra modern lodge and conference centre in the heart of Chiawa east game management area will bring about massive opportunities for the local people.
He said this yesterday during a consultative meeting held in Chiawa on the proposed multi-million dollar hotel with a bed space of 144.
Mr Nsongela said Protea had a policy of ensuring that it consults widely before developing any project and will always observe laid laws. He said the development of the project will turn the lower Zambezi area into a tourist destination for every Zambian.
The Hotel Group Consultant further disclosed that the company has also taken into consideration the anticipated impact for the project once construction starts.
” Management has put in place mitigation measures to prevent, minimize and compensate identified negative impacts in the area,” he said.
Mr Nsongela stated that it was for this reason management is committed to continue engaging the community in dialogue and consensus building to ensure that the development meets both the aspirations of the people of Chiawa and other tourist operators.
However some headmen and villagers advised the group consider changing the location of the site as it was sanctuary of wildlife. They said the people of Chiawa are very happy at the development and appreciate the anticipated positive development the company will bring to the area.
But Headman Mushonganende differed with the others saying the proposed site was just okey as the area had no economic activities to empower the locals. He said wildlife will not be disturbed as the land to be utilized was small.
The headman accused other lodge owners of having developed cold feet because Protea will bring about competition and offer better conditions of service to the locals.
” Chiawa has remained poor for a long time because most lodges were selfish and are not supporting the area to come out its poverty,” the traditional ruler said.
And the Lower Zambezi Conservation Trust Tim Filber said it was important that the area’s wildlife is not disturbed but maintain Zambia’s tourism motto of “Zambia the true Africa”. He said it would be important the company reduces the bed capacity from 144 to 28.
Mr Filber said Protea was welcome in the area but should consider moving the site of the project to an area where there is less animal traffic.
But Kafue district commissioner Winford Ngoma cautioned tour operators in the area and some headmen not to politicize the project. He said it was important the community realized that the country and area will only develop when investors such as Protea come in.
He said some lodge owners have been in the area but have done little to change the lives of the people. He said government welcomes investors who bring development at large scale as the multiplier effect will be more felt in terms of benefits.
Mr Ngoma said government intends to remove the dependence syndrome of people on the state so that they can support themselves.
The meeting which was attended by Chieftainess Chiawa was also graced with the presence of government representatives from Environment Council of Zambia, ZAWA, Water Affairs, Council, Education and Forestry departments.
ZANIS
This reaally soundz good. Make sure the right thing iz done first time. Avoid getting in a situation where somebody will cry foul later when all iz said and done.
Great stuff on “Mr Nsongela said Protea had a policy of ensuring that it consults widely before developing any project and will always observe laid laws. He said the development of the project will turn the lower Zambezi area into a tourist destination for every Zambian.” I have personally been Kwa-Chiawa passing through the PANTOON at Kafue river near Chilundu and it is a nice place.
Such developments will surely encourage road and probably rail good infrastructure building to link Chilundu and Lusaka through Luangwa — if I am not mistaken for it has been a long time.
Have a blessed day all.
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Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
LT, you could have easily gone with ‘build’ instead of ‘erect’.. Some of us are very dirty minded.. I was already getting ideas.. 😀
Oh my goodness, Hotel erections!
#3 & 4 clean up your minds and think wise
Otherwise, to read about such positive development is a good change from the regular political news that dominates the site. Let’s hope the roads leading to the future Hotel are also in good shape.
Development is what we want…continue with the same spirit
It sounds really god development than usal politics on this site. I only hope Rupiah Banda is not going to desrupt this positive development coz the man is purely corrupt, starborn and has got no respect for Zambian people.
There is NOTHING to be excited about on this next hotel from Protea. Hotels in Zambia are usually frequented by foreign tourists (there are no Zambian tourists) and politicians who happen to be in he minority. So the contribution of this hotel to Zambia’s economic development is next to zero!!! rather ir perpetuates the view that Zambia is a heaven for the foreigners and not the indegnious.
Mbewe, I agree with you. If you read in the article, it clearly states that the owners of protea are trying to set up a hotel in the middle of an area filled with wildlife, clearly that is wrong. Let Protea find an ideal location that does not disturb wildlife. Politicians and certain headmen must not just support ideas just because some of their relatives will be given servants jobs. As a country, we must not let individuals monopolise wildlife, for example, If I want to go to Chiawa to view wildlife, I don’t want to find myself having to pay Protea to view ‘national wildlife’ just because the built a lodge in the middle of an area reserved for wildlife. I would like to know how Protea is funding the building of new hotels every so often. I suspect they are given undue advantage.
A business story and it gets 9 comments and 213 views. ZAMBIANS YOU ARE A DISGRACE. THE JOKE OF THE WORLD.
All you care about is a govt that will fulfill your socialist agenda. Communism/Humanism/Socialism has failed world over. There has never been any society that has effectively distributed wealth, eradicated poverty and brought about development with this sort of economic system.
Australia, Japan, Britain, USA, Canada, etc all have effective capitalist societies that have worked for these nations in creating wealth. Dump the politics and start discussing business.
Entrepreneurs are the only ones that will manage to get themselves off poverty. Some Somalians come to Zambia with nothing but due to entrepreneurship, they manage to get themselves off poverty. [tbc
cont…
They do this in front of your faces and all you do is instead of inquiring how they managed to start a business and get themselves off poverty, you go complain to Sata so he can give you xenophobic rhetoric and make fake promises like his 90 day economic miracle formula.
Stop with the politics. It is time you started concentrating on business. Only business minded people will effectively get themselves off poverty.
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This hotel is going to be of help to many Zambians. Think of ways you can connect a business to this hotel. Get into consultations with them so you can supply them with locally made high quality furniture. It is time we started thinking outside the box.
LT, are they building a lodge or a hotel? Protea, go ahead and build your lodge-hotel and don’t listen to the likes of Filber. these chaps have been in the area for years & have never put up better lodges. After you build your hotel, we can then go ahead to develop KK’s diesel from grass.
8 and 9, I totally disagree with you, Capitalist, you are spot on. This is not going to be the first hotel to be built in an area with animals. There are no Zambian tourists? Word, get a life dude. Rather than spending all your money on booze every weekend, save it for a weekend excursion to these tourist resorts. If you plan for it, it will not be that costly. I drive to Lake Kariba or Livingstone weekends and stay at these hotels. Whether or not Union Gold are given undue advantage is immaterial. With the money I spend, they are helping to reduce the high unemployment levels and other tourism-related goods and services thereby alleviating poverty.
#10,11&12,
Communism has not ‘failed the world over’. China is a classic example, it is a communist state and through the years have managed to build the themselves up to be the second largest economy in the world are will soon be number 1 in less than 3 years. Capitalism is the one that has failed the world over, look at the reccession, is that not a product of capitalism and the ‘free market theorists’? USA and UK are facing the worst reccessions since records began, so that are you trying to tell us. #13 It does not matter if it is not th first hotel to be built in an animal reserve but by rights that is wrong. It is not like Zambia has run out of land, Protea can find a different location but the want to build within wildlife reserves which is wrong.
no.8 pliz help zambians to stop thinking like your self.You can also start frequenting those hotels and the various tourist sites in zambia only if you plan , change your mind set and perceptions.Believe me some zambians have money but the fashion of spending leisure time with their families does not exist.The only thing set in their minds is to spend the incomes in bars and bottle stores.Dont be suspecious when u see tourists coming to CHIAWA from CANADA, NEW ZEALAND OR CHILE.They plan and prepare for years just to take a long trip to the other parts of the world.YES U CAN just change you mind set……
I disagree with the idea of letting one company monopolise wildlife. Protea can build a hotel on the edges of an animal reserve but not within the animal reserves. Wildlife is the essence of tourism in Zambia and we must do all we can to protect it against poaching and corporate takeovers. Protea is trying to use the desparation of the people of Chiawa to make them compromise wildlife welfare for small coins of silver. I have nothing but respect to those that have objected to this idea. I am not against hotel or lodge building but I am against companies that are trying to monopolise our wildlife. Let us not do what Sun International has done to the Victoria falls or Mosi-ao-tunya by fencing it just because they built up a hotel there and visitors have to go through them to view the falls.
This is the type of development that we need. Not these chaps that come with tents to make lodges and make a lot of money at the expens of the locals . GO PROTEA GO.