GOVERNMENT plans to relocate the Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) and National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) headquarters from Lusaka to Livingstone to enable the two institutions to aggressively market the tourist capital’s potential, Vice-President Inonge Wina has said.
Ms Wina said Government departments dealing with tourism should be stationed in Livingstone so that they can effectively implement measures that will revamp the tourist capital and make it a centre of excellence.
The Vice-President said this on Monday when she called on Chief Mukuni of the Toka-Leya people in Kazungula.
She observed that the shift of the headquarters of the provincial administration from Livingstone to Choma has resulted in economic regression in the tourist capital, a predicament she said needs to be addressed urgently.
“Government is concerned about the status of Livingstone as a tourism capital because we realise that after moving the provincial administration to Choma, there’s been an element of economic depression in Livingstone and this needs to be addressed as quickly as possible with the efforts of the people of Livingstone coupled by Government initiatives.
From our side as Government, we are instructing the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that the headquarters of the tourism board moves to Livingstone because this is where action is taking place in the area of tourism. The heritage commission should also be moved to Livingstone and all the other tourism-related institutions so that we can revamp this town and also position it as a centre of tourism in this country,”Ms Wina said.
She was accompanied by Southern Province Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu and his Lusaka counterpart Obvious Mwaliteta.
She said Government wants Livingstone to be turned into a centre of tourism excellence so that the country can attract and receive more international tourists who will in turn boost the country’s economy through foreign exchange.
Ms Wina appealed to Chief Mukuni, who is also a local and regional tourism investor, to assist Government to revamp and promote cultural tourism, which she said plays a crucial role in improving the lives of people in villages.
And Chief Mukuni said he is readily available to give expert advice to assist Government to revamp the tourism sector.
He, however, lamented that the shift of the provincial administration to Choma has resulted in poor communication between his chiefdom and government departments.
This is what happens when a govt with no vision does things without thinking. Sata messaed up Livingstone. in an case, this is a good move bo Wina. We need more activities in Livingstone. I support the plan to move he tourism board because tourists are not interested in coming to see the filth found in Lusaka.
The recent corrections we are seeing imply its not only Livingstone that was messed up by ……………………. (fill in the blanks)
Another knee-jerk reaction from a clueless government. To them, tourism is just the Vic falls. What about the Umutomboko ceremony in Luapula, The Chishimba falls, the game parks in Muchinga and Eastern province? Tourism in Zambia will only develop if we adopt HH’s ideas and run it as business.
No take it to Choma-the Headquarters of Southern Province. Ba PF what id going on now?
But tourism is not only in lstone what about northern province? I thought Hq should be centrally located.
Go to Canada, Australia, USA, Europe and Asia and ask them if they know a northern province in Zambia (or any province for that matter) I can bet you that not even 4% will know what you are talking about. On the other hand ask them about the Victoria Falls and a much larger % will confirm their awareness of it. The point here is that, we must use what we have, Victoria Falls in Livingstone (an internationally recognised world heritage site with huge historical value), develop it to a point of excellence and use that as a blue print (or model) to develop and perfect many other potential areas in Zambia. Think of it as bait to lure tourists to Zambia so when they arrive you can market the rest of Zambia. So it makes sense to priorotise your advantages/strengths first.
I don’t see seance in this.What are the functions Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) and National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC)?I believe they do not need to be in Livingstone in order to fulfill their mandate.It is a waste of money relocating these offices. Let us market “Zambia’s tourism potential” unlike marketing “Livingstones’ tourism potential.” These misplaced priorities are the ones
taking us backwards in this competitive world.
Dear………………… we wish to inform you that we busy correcting the mistakes you created in a short spate of time. We are trying, but it is hard. The districts that were created so hastily..forget . There is no money.
Oh my goodness. What kind of thinking is this? Has any planning gone into this about implications? If this indeed is now policy, how many times will they move the ZTB since areas such as Mbala with Kalambo Falls, Samfya with its beaches…. have regressed? Do other countries where tourism is thriving have their Tourism Board headquarters in those areas? Niagara in Canada? Mombassa in Kenya? .. List is endless. Ba PF.. kwena fimo mulaipushako ama experts or even consult other countries on what they have done just as a check. This makes no sense. You move the entire ZTB to Livingstone? Chimbwi no plan indeed!
Livingstone is already a thriving tourism destination and its know world over. We need to develop the potential that lies in other areas of Zambia such as Northern, Luapula, Muchinga, Western and North-Western provinces. Moving the capital to the already developed tourism destination of Livingstone is really a useless idea. But what do you expect from the PF. Remember folks oranges dont grow on apple trees just like good ideas cant come out of PF brain