Parliament today heard that Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources earned US$ 354 million through tourist who visited Zambia between 2006 and 2007.
And Government has disclosed that Zambia only managed gobble US$1 million as the lowest marketing and promotion package compared to Tanzania, Bostwana while South Africa tops the list with US$ 180 million.
Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Deputy Minister, Mubita Mwangala, said US$ 176.7 million was realised in 2006 while an additional US$ 188 million was earned from a total number of 6,566, 270 tourists, who entered the country during the two-year period.
The deputy minister told the House today, government is still compiling the data for 2008.
Mr. Mwangala was responding to a question raised by Lukulu East Member of Parliament, Batuke Imenda, who wanted to find out how many tourists visited the country from 2006 to 2008, how much was raised and what factors made Zambia unattractive tourist destination compared to South Africa, Kenya and Botswana.
He explained that undeveloped infrastructure, lack of a national airline and less private participation in the tourism sector disadvantaged Zambia in the Southern region.
He said South Africa released US$ 180 million, while Tanzania managed to raise US$ 18 million with Botswana earning US$ 7 million and Zambia had the least of US$ One million from tourist attractions.
And Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Catherine Namugala, added that government is strengthening the tourism initiative to make it more competitive and favourable with other countries.
Ms. Namugala, who is also Isoka East MP, was responding to a question by Chilubi MP, Obby Chisala who wanted to find out how far government has gone in setting the Lusaka Park in the Capital City, Lusaka.
ZANIS/KC/MM/ENDS/SJK
Well done!!:d
Now please show us how to spend the money 😕
Use the money to benefit ordinary citizens
fire Peter Chintala :d/
Hope my people in the village will have their standard of
living improved.
That is encouraging. continue the attracive ventures you have embarked on RB.. :)>-
US$ 354 million is quite a large figure. Did the government earn this money directly or is it just a figure they are quoting of money that goes into other people’s pockets like SUn hotel
spend it on a National Airline for goodess sake!
Wamweni imisebo kabili shamoneka, Mulongoti said ati Grz taikwete ulupiya, shamoneka what is your next excuse?
Oh please, dont congratulate yourselves too much. I am sure 3/4 of that is because there are problems in Zimbabwe and tourists come to the second option. If it weren’t for that, you would be reporting zeros! W
I am just from reading the thread about high prices of mealie meal!! How the hell should I start rejoicing over here ? I sometimes have a feeling that Zambia is ruled in a very divided way !!
The prices of a staple food are climbing and govt is boasting with big figures earned thru tourism.
We Zambians do not demand much!! Please feed us. Thats all!!
Good ,now before you raise your arms and start jumping in celebrating your gains, put up a proper structure in place that will cleary define how that money would be used and how you can further improve on your gains,with that done, then can you be assured of a bright future in the country`s tourism potential.
Here lays a Government “The Republic of Zambeziland” which had enough money but failed to feed its people!! What a shame. And Again my people continue to suffer!!
Zambia is too expensive and not value for money. Zambian government shouldn’t have stoodby while Zambian airways went under. It should have been bailed out.
Zambia is losing all the important factors that makes a Nation a Nation out there!!
1. Number 14 A Countries own AIRLINE is a better and more effective representation outside than its President flying around.
2. A President that stays home and handles matters at hand that the nation is facing!!
3. Changing old Structures in the government that have led and will always led to corruption within the government.
RB please learn and please come up with a strategy that will ensure enough food for all zambians across the country.
# 7 ala wemwana slumdoggo this money is the combined total income of the tourism players,like you have said kasuba and mweshi hotel resorts.
gov. probably earned 10% of this.they know that people won’t analyse figures but just hope the money will be spent well,with i told you sos.
well that is another explanations that will would have been forgotten as pressing issues of hunger and cholera would have gone from orange to red.
so what
Congrats GRZ and the hospital zambian citizenry.Private and public sector put invest in more infrastructure for more attractions.We uphold our enduring pledge to help you get exposed to more as a peaceful and worthwhile tour destination in sub Sahara africa.
Bravo Homeland.
When Sata and Mmembe have been busy hallucinating and barking that there is tension in the country instead of their heads and personal lives, more tourists have been flooding in the country and the treasury making Dollars.Their fantasised cadres are busy peddling empt bathtubs in street corners and markets then go back home sleep without soap bath or food because they have been turned unproductive.other citizens are busy working hard when they are being fantasized with dreams of more money in the pocket.Where is that more money or what is its mechanics? No results but filthy self made poverty.
I see a fly sitting on the horn of that rhino, my God do we really have to go backwards?
I haven’t seen any tourists #19 maybe they are only visting your a**?
Tourism is big business and Zambians must take more interest in the sector and participate. That is the only way these dollars can stay in the country but if we let the industry get dominated by foreign players then such dollars will only be on paper and will not benefit the nation at all. Zambia’s tourism sector is said to be worth at least USD$2 billion annually from direct safari holidays once fully developed but the industry has the potential to generate at least USD$ 15 billions annually from the wider impact on the economy. However, such figures need closer analysis to identify exactly were the money is coming from and were it is going. Viva Zambia**==
#16 Where did you get the figure of the government getting 10% of the $354 million. Isn’t it just a case of the government counting money thats already in other people’s pockets .
thats alot of gwap.. now watch mmd oh should i say grz.. spend that money on cars they dont need..i bet u that money is long gone already… nowanda bwezani keeps getting fatter er day.. lol..shout out to thandiwe lol :d
Guys, lets not separate good health from healthy reasoning. Any person with even one brain cell will tell you that Kunda’s reasoning has been compromised with his failing healthy. Sure, a patient is a patient. Thats the reason why when you are sick, you go on sick leave. Kunda must be retired on medical grounds. He can think any more. His face can be seen by all, blind and those with eyesight that the man is a shadow of himself. We dont want a bye-apointment. VIVA heathy VIPS we want
25. Truth,
Who between Sata and VP Kunda needs to retire? The latter has never been in an ICU whereas Sata with damaged vasculars is a certified risk.Typical of losers you have lost it again. I have said it many times that power is not in blogs but on the ground.
well done ms namugala may GOD continue blessing you in all you do..
NO 27. What has Namugala done?
#22 Anonymous. Spot on.
Does the ministry of tourism have a website so we can check what they are upto.
Seeing that Tourism is big business, may be we need the govt to delegate the role of overseer to a dedicated agency. The ministry may not be equipped well in enough – skills etc.
Can someone on this blog enlighten us on how toursim is managed in Zambia. Who has the levers of power. Who is in charge of the overall national tourism strategy. How do other countries do it. I guess we can learn from RSA, Tanzania, Kenya. They are in the neighbourhood.
I am visiting Zambia after many years..in July this year. I was born in Kitwe and am planning to drive from Lusaka to Kitwe. How is this road? Also does anyone know the farm near Kitwe that used to be called Racoba Farm..opp side of Kafue? Was owned by Frank Cowan many years ago?
Tourism business is in foreign hands,can the govt explain how the poor and majority will benefit? I know namugala has a steak with the entire cabinet ministers. l-)**==l-)
14. Musi,
” Zambia is too expensive and not value for money. Zambian government shouldn’t have stoodby while Zambian airways went under. It should have been bailed out. ”
The government should make things right for it’s own people first, before they even start to think about attracting foreign tourist or foreign businesses.
This continuous focus beyond it’s borders is stifling development.
w4KFkA comment1 ,
Great. Now i can say thank you!