The Zambia Tourism Board recently kicked off the Zambia 2010 Travel Road show in Washington DC with a colourful display of artifacts at the Zambian Embassy. The Travel show is designed to promote travel to Zambia by way of workshops. During the workshops, travel professionals from the US will meet with Zambian suppliers and companies that offer products and services in Zambia.
Her Excellency, the Ambassador of Zambia to the United States of America, Mrs. Sheila Siwela told the American tourist professionals that Zambia’s tourism sector has been steadily growing fast as the second most important economic segment after agriculture.This was issued in a press release made available to Lusakatimes by Ben Kangwa,First Secretary (Press) for the Zambian Embassy in Washington DC.
Ambassador Siwela noted that tourism contibutted around four percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Statistics show an increase of about 15-28 per cent in the number of visitors to Zambia. According to the “AfricanMecca Inc.” the latest arrival statistics based on 2007 stands at 805,059 visitors from 690,000 in 2006.
Flagging off the Zambia 2010 Travel Show at the Zambia Embassy in Washington DC, Ambassador Siwela said the United States of America is Zambia’s second tourist market after Europe.
Ambassador Siwela revealed that in 2009, the North American market recorded around 40,000 arrivals and appealed to the US and Canadian travel professionals to partner with Zambian private sector tour operators in selling Zambia to the American public.
“We aim to more than double this number for the coming years and can only achieve this target with you as our partners,” she said.
The travel show is designed to promote travel to Zambia and to educate travel professionals about the country’s wide range of travel options and services.
During the workshops, travel professionals will have the opportunity to meet with Zambian suppliers and companies that offer products and services in Zambia and learn about the latest tourism developments.
The seven day road that started in Washington DC will moves to New York where 100 travel professionals are expected to attend while other cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto in Canada are expected to attract about 180 travel professionals to attend.
Zambia Tourism Board Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Stein Liyanda has meanwhile said the road shows were timely given the placing of tourism as second on the economic development agenda of the country.
“This event not only serves in keeping the US tour professionals up to date with the latest developments taking place in our country, it is also intended to attract tourists and holiday makers in big numbers,” he said.
Mr. Liyanda also applauded government for paying particular attention to the development of tourism by involving private sector participation in the industry.
He said, “In the Fifth National Development Plan, the policy of government is for the private sector to drive tourism development and contribute to making Zambia a major tourism development destination.”
He said he was excited about specific tourism projects such as the Northern Circuit in the North and Luapula provinces, noting that the two provinces are endowed with an array of tourist attractions that are of national, regional and international significance.
The US $400 million Kasaba Bay Tourism Resort Development project (KBTRDP), he said, comprises Nsumbu and Lusenga National parks, the Lumangwe and Kabwelume water falls and the towns of Kaputa, Mbala and Mpulungu.
He was optimistic that once the project was completed, it would be the most preferred destination in Africa as it is strategically located to receive tourists from East Africa and Great Lakes region. The program will include upgrades of airport facilities, roads, telecommunication, electricity, accommodation, water and shopping malls.
Mr. Liyanda also stated that another area of interest was the Greater Livingstone and the Kafue National Park whose infrastructure would improve tourism and also lure new investors.
From the private sector, Managing Director of Zambezi Shuttles Limited based in Livingstone, Mrs. Rachel Lungu Ward who is part of the delegation said the Road show offers an opportunity for her to network with American travel professionals as well as to raise awareness of Zambia’s emerging tourism sector.
And the Managing Director of United Touring Company (Livingstone), Ms. Charity Chewe, was quick to state that the Zambian private sector’s participation at this year’s road show would boost numbers of American travelers to Zambia.
She said the fact that statistics of numbers of tourists from North America who visit Zambia were steadily growing, there was need for aggressive marketing of tourism.
“Basically, I have been able to explain where Zambia is located , its proximity with neighboring countries vis-a-vis the Victoria Falls and how they can package their tours from America to Zambia first before extending their holiday elsewhere,” she said.
Other members of the delegation include Board members Mr. Martin Simwaka and Mr. Matongo Matamwandi and the Zambia Tourist Board Acting Marketing Manager Mr. Donald Pelekamoyo
If Sata gets in next year, you can forget about the tourism industry.
American tourist will only come in good numbers when our filthy cities are cleaned up.
How are these baskets supposed to promote tourism?
tourism will boost our economy indeed and as seen already by the many foreign visitors we receive. lodges hotels backpakers have mushroomed bcos of tourism factor. ben and ambassador siwela you doing a good job. let the yankees come and enjoy our hospitality, countryside good weather and the sun
As long as the roads and other infractures are not in good shape, tourists wont come to Zambia, you see what has happened in India? Politicians are involved in everything in Zambia.
Leroy, be more positive. The figures are there, we are experiencing a great increase in the number of toursits. True we can do better with improved infrastructure but we are not doing badly.
Nubian Princess, have you ever heard the word Souvenir . ? crafts?
#1 Walasa! I feel so scared that people will even talk about Sata being president.Zambian salapuka! you really don’t know what you are getting yourself into..when Late President Mwanawasa tried to prosecute Chiluba over abuse of office,Sata told Zambians that he would release Chiluba when voted into power.when RB let go Chiluba, Sata cried blue murder! do you remember Sata promoting Chiluba’s third term bid when he was in govt.And Zambians cannot see this man’s mechinisations.It bothers some of us.Pity we don’t have credible leaders to restle the power from our roving RB.The scenario here was that Sata thot Chiluba would make him vice president and because that would be Chiluba’s last term he would then become president automatically after Chiluba-power hungry! when this failed,he…
Senior Citizen, what a wonderful job you did here? So you insult people but you are a basket photographer. This is your all reason for supporting RB and MMD? Man, find something else.