HOTELS and lodges operating below par and are in a pathetic condition risk being closed. Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Given Lubinda says Government will not compromise standards of hotels and lodges and will close those doing so even if they are run by a government official.
And Government says it will re-launch the national tourism policy act that has been lying idle at Cabinet Office and ensure that all necessary stakeholders have input.
“We will ensure that even if we have few inspectors, they will be going round to inspect hotels and lodges to help uplift standards. The Patriotic Front (PF) government wants to see a vibrant tourism sector that will not compromise on standards,” he said.
Mr Lubinda was speaking at the Hotels and Catering Association of Zambia (HCAZ) breakfast at Lusaka’s Golden Bridge Hotel yesterday. He said the tourism sector is facing a lot of challenges such as poor road network and poor marketing outside the country.
Mr Lubinda said Government has realised the challenges, hence focusing on developing human resource and creating an environment that would allow Zambians to do profitable business.
The PF wants hoteliers to run and operate viable businesses. He said the tourism sector has potential to contribute to economic growth hence the ministry’s decision to recall the policy from Cabinet because players in the tourism sector were not consulted.
All stakeholders will soon be called for consultation, he said, urging participants to actively contribute and come up with a tourism act that will stand the test of time.
“We should all come up with a tourism act that will benefit stakeholders now and in future without collision. I am hoping the tourism policy act focusing on tourism development and viable to attract tourists will be launched by June 2012,” he said.
Mr Lubinda urged Zambians to be pro-active and help in marketing Zambia whenever they are out of the country. He commended Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda for increasing funds to infrastructure development and the tourism sector in the 2012 budget.
Mr Lubinda said this was a positive move, especially that the country would be hosting the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation general assembly. And HCAZ president Felix Mulenga appealed to the government to speed up the giving operating licences as the process takes too long, sometimes as long as four years.
This, he said, creates fertile ground for corruption. He said the PF government, which is committed to the fight against corruption, should look into the matter to enable more people operate hotels legally and contribute to the tourism sector.
He said the tourism sector has potential to grow. Mr Mulenga commended Government for committing itself to promoting tourism and the recapitalising of the Zambia Wildlife Authority.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
And how are you going to close substandard hotels/lodges (bcoz they for tourists) yet leave filthy public markets,filthy restaurants and garbage filled streets which affect most zambians untouched by that directive? If we’re to demand high standards let it be for the benefit of all areas not just places for the pampered few.
Lubinda is the minister of tourism and he can only address what he has addressed here. nkandu Luo who is at MLGH also addressed the issue of bars because they fall under MLGH for their licences. Lert uscontribute positivelly. Market fall under Local Government.
This guy talk sense and he seem humble and sober in him mind. Please extend that to pathetic restaurants. Make sure any public place has running water and good toilet facilities. Make sure policies that formulated run consistent and coherent.
Start with your Ka Club in Chilenje! It is a polluter! -Noise and your lighting thing disturbs sleep as the light intrudes into bedrooms!
firstly one must determine what exactly ‘ standard ‘ is. It.s funny this meeting was held at the Golden bridge hotel . . . Because i thought it was sub-standard.
Having said that it.s commendable that the PF government seem to be prioritizing this sector.
Good point and regulation. Please start with council owned and operated hotels and motels.
Good vision bwana, u shud start with South Luangwa National Park particularly.
Say it ain’t so!
WHat will be the standard? Vannesa lodge in Kalingalinga which has no bath rooms?
Iwe kaladi man tell your boss that you do not market the country by releasing convicted poachers.We know most of them were sponsored by some politicians in power now hence their quick pardon.His recent actions have a very negative impact on the much needed tourists to Zambia.
but honourable sure manje tizayamba kunyengela kuti?
@Mabvuto , man lets be constructive. is that all you can say?
Dora silly-her, if kuchinda is not constructive u weren’t going to be born. be realistic
@mabvuto you crack me up man,keep the comments coming.lolest
I need at stocky to right a bone up on this is ditty of the most vaubllae info in the the old bill of me. And i’m tickled reading your article. But wanna upon on just shared things, The spider’s entanglement split crow’s-foot is greatest, the articles is unusually thundering : D. Terminated monarchy
I concur with Mabvuto. ” NOW LET ALL CONDOMS BREAK”
How can Tourism ministry be merged with information and Broadcasting..the government needs to rethink this its not taking this sector seriously.
@ Mabvuto walipena,pwekekekekekekekekekekeke……………..
Ndipo Mabvuto nisilu wanisekesa mwandi. You have cracked my ribs!!!!!!
2013 is enough time to make significant improvements to the tourist sector as a proven money earner. Would like to also see more done to both encourage more locals to become service providers as well as recognising what our true national brand identity is. We still sell Zed like colonial marketers who are almost terrified to show Zambians in our own marketing campaign. Up the standard of our global presentation. Use eloquent speakers to represent us and stop the fumbling bumbling approach. Zed is a great product in the right hands. Funny how we were moved from huts to towns while tourists travel miles to live in huts:) tourism sector has great growth potential beyond the animals and scenery. Our arts, sculpture, carvings can be better presented and sold to benefit artists at home/online