Government says plans to turn Longacres Lodge into a Five-Star Hotel status is still underway and has full blessings from government.
Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda said the Ministry of Infrastructure has been informed to go ahead and upgrade the facility into a five-star hotel.
Mr. Banda disclosed this in Lusaka when he met Hostels Board of Management (HBoM) officials.
“President Lungu has already given consent to the Ministry of Infrastructure to go ahead and upgrade Longacres Lodge into a five star. Government is determined to strengthen the HBoM to grow the hospitality industry,” the Minister said.
The Minister further stated that budgetary estimates will soon be known to the public.
Mr. Banda, who conducted an on-the-spot-check of the works on the facility, is impressed with the work being done by the Board.
And HBoM Operations Manager Nkole Chisanga said her Board is working in line with its strategic plan.
Ms. Chisanga boasted that the Lodge, once hosted the Zimbabwean and Tunisian national teams.
Southern Sun, Inter-Continental and Taj-Pamodzi are among the Five-Star Hotels in the country.
This is contained in a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Tourism and Arts Public Relations Officer, Sakabilo Kalembwe.
5 star hotel at Long-acres lodge? Is this place big enough to house such a facility considering the on/off and now on cholera epidemic? Why don’t we pipo venture outside the city for such infrastructure mwebantu? Lusaka is jammed; the place is congested. I give up…
Chinese contractor, please start mobilizing.
Who is funding this project?I hope its not our broke GRZ
Oh no- no more free parking for us who like eating nshima from Long Acres Market. Iye.
The place is actually huge with proper planning you can have the entrance where it currently is but the exit on Alick Nkhata road also plan for underground and elevated parking on the southern part of the building the hotel can actually be shifted further into the grounds its a great site if properly planned.
who grants these 5 star statuses on hotels? Can you just dream of a number alone?
Another place for ministers and MPs to accomodate their girlfriends!!
Why even comment imwe tuma cadres who know zero about the mandate of HBoM?
Everyday we try to move forward as a nation chikubabani…
Let HBoM do their work.For 50 yrs they have been running lodges and guest houses.
The place is very big, exit should be on alick nkata road with underground parking. proper planing is required, otherwise it’s very big if it’s highrise building.
This is what we mean when we say skills, education, knowledge and training are extremely important in tourism. We want a 5 star hotel with the standards such as Southern Sun, Inter Continental and Taj Pamodzi. Does Mr. Banada understand how these hotels obtain a 5 star rating? Does Mr. Banda understand what Accreditation and Certification in tourism is? Would he know the difference between the two and the advantages they have and the disadvantages Zambia would have in achieving them. Does he know how 5 Star operations operate and how the achieve a Green Key Certification? This man says anything to get people to think he is doing something when the reality is, he has no understanding about tourism and how it works. Why is he getting paid?