TOURISM and Arts Minister Charles Banda is today expected in Madrid, Spain for various high-level meetings with the Uniten Nationa World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO) Secretariat and the Spanish government.
The Minister will be accompanied by Permanent Secretary Stephen Mwansa, Director of Tourism in charge of the Department of Tourism Reuben Zulu, Zambia Tourism Agency Chief Executive Officer Felix Chaila, Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Trust Executive Director Dr Wilson Silungwe.
The minister will also be joined by officials from Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, Zambia Development Agency and the private sector that includes Stannic group Techtrade Limited among others.
Mr Banda and his delegation will be joined by officials from the Zambian Mission in Paris to be headed by Zambia’s Ambassador accredited to Spain and Permanent Representative to UNWTO Humphrey Chibanda.
According to the Minister’s working programme prepared by the Zambian Embassy in Paris, France, Zambia’s Ambassador to France also accredited to Spain Mr Chibanda stated that the Minister and his delegation will be in Spain at the invitation of the UNWTO Secretary General Dr Taleb Rifai and the Spanish government to attend the Spanish International Tourism Fair FITUR and INVESTOUR.
Ambassador Chibanda reiterated that in line with Zambia’s quest for economic diplomacy the trip was an important one given that the government has prioritised the tourism sector and seeks to develop and promote it as an economic sector that would contribute greatly to the sustainable economic development of the country.
In her quest for sustainable economic development, Zambia shall endeavour to explore and leverage on any opportunities that will benefit most Zambians and contribute to poverty alleviation.
Zambia as an active member of the UNWTO and the First Vice Chair of the organisation’s governing board ‘the Executive Council’ shall continue to strengthen multilateral collaboration with the organisation for mutual benefit.
In addition, Zambia and Spain would seek to strengthen economic relations that translate into synergies between the two countries for mutual economic benefits.
Mr Banda and the delegation has a busy schedule that includes; a working reception at the Palace with all UNWTO member states Ministers of Tourism to be hosted by His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Spain, His Majesty King Felipe VI.
The Minister would further join other Ministers responsible for tourism at a working lunch reception to be hosted by Dr Rifai in honour of President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández and Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia who will be on a working visit to the UNWTO Headquarters.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Arts Public Relations Officer Sakabilo Kalembwe,the Minister will also be making a presentation on Zambia’s tourism industry investment opportunities at the 4th Zambia-Spain investment forum organised by the Zambian Mission in Paris working in collaboration with the Madrid Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Kalembwe said the Minister and the delegation will also present tourism investment opportunities at the VIII Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa – INVESTOUR.
As the new First Vice-Chair of the UNWTO Executive Council which is the organisations governing board, the Minister will hold high-level meetings with Dr Rifai and then tour the UNWTO Headquarters.
In addition the Minister will meet with Abulfaz Garayev Azerbaijan, Minister of Culture and Tourism who is the Chair of the Executive Council to discuss the UNWTO programme of work for the one year term in which Zambia and Azerbaijan will preside over the affairs of the Organisation.
The minister and the delegation will also be among the dignitaries that have been invited to the launch of 2017 as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development in accordance with the United Nations 70th General Assembly Resolution No. A/RES/70/193.
At the bilateral level, the Minister is expected to hold meetings with his counterpart at the Spanish Ministry of Tourism and Energy to explore the possibility of signing a Tourism Memorandum of Understanding.
Additionally, the Zambian delegation will also hold a meeting with the organisers of the Spanish International Fair FITUR to explore how Zambia Tourism Agency could collaborate with them to enhance the Zambia Tourism Expo (ZATEX).
The Minister will also be holding a Zambia Let’s Explore information forum with some key selected international media and Spanish tour operators interested in destination Africa.
The minister is also expected to have interviews with selected Spanish and International electronic and print travel media.
The Minister’s delegation will wrap up the working visit to Madrid with a technical tour of various selected tourism products and services in Madrid that includes a visit to one of the famous Spanish concept the Paradores. Thereafter, the delegation will return to Zambia.
I have never heard of such a minister.
Instead of attracting tourists to Zambia, the staff at the ministry of Tourism, have become tourists. This is all they do. Travelling on jollies around the world from one expo to another. What are the Zambian missions abroad for?
They want to go and watch the White people like @house fly…….. hahahaha!!!!!
Reason being?
There you go, PF supporters. You must be very proud of your leaders, spending the country’s meager resources like this. Request to see the Bill for all this when your tourist delegation comes back. Zambia has very poor tourism promotion in Africa. You wouldn’t even know that Zambia has the biggest waterfall in the world. And that because these guys have no idea how to run the tourism industry. Zambia is actually among the least popular destinations in Africa, all because of these guys — who have now decided to join Lungu by becoming tourists themselves. They’re lucky they’re in Zambia where no one cares. Had it been in Tanzania, Magufuli, a great and outstanding leader, would have never allowed this waste of resources on meaningless trips.
First, they didn’t need so much people to accompany the Minister. Secondly, Span and Spanish countries will never visit or invest in English speaking countries.
This is a loss to Zambian government in terms of money and time. 5 people would have been enough to attend this thing. You don’t need officials from two ministries.
Zesco, we don’t have power in Riverside Kitwe since 8hrs in the morning and now it’s 15 30hrs. What is the issue?
Chop my head. Don’t think this trip brings any spark to tourism in Zambia. They will come back, every thing will remain the same in Zambia. How many of such trips have been taken in the past. Routine wastage of tax payers money
Ole!
Its no wonder they LAMENTABLY FAILED to hit their target last year as they do not have a plan of action …they are just good at reading speeches and attending events
The bench warmers are touring again with no results to show for it. They are learning quick from their sick president who is a qualified traveller. Lungumustgo!!
Banda, another Nyasaland *****
Visit their Department and National Parks & Wildlife Facebook page. See if they answer any questions people ask them. Just take a look and see if these jokers are serious. They have failed to respond to bazungu’s even our very own intelligent Zambians firing questions. Take a look and see. Ala chansoni suwa!
Did Lungu approve of this nonsense? … Or he encouraged them since hes equally a seasonal tourist ? Just asking!