Zambia has asked the American government to assist the country in creating an attractive creative industry that could make Zambia woo a lot of tourists during the United Nations World Tourism organisation (UNWTO) conference to be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe next year.
Minister of Tourism and Arts Sylvia Masebo says this is because America has prioritised investment in the Art and Cultural industry hence contributing significantly to its economic growth.
ZANIS reports that speaking in Lusaka today when United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella called on her at her office, Ms. Masebo said Zambia has a lot to learn from the USA’s art, tourism and entertainment sector.
She explained that Zambia and USA are determined to share ideals that would be instrumental in achieving the two countries’ development agenda.
She noted that government has attached a lot of importance to the tourism industry in the country.
Ms. Masebo said this is why her ministry is eager to explore all possible ways that would enhance development in this sector.
The Minister disclosed that government is also aware of the potential that tourism and art has in terms of job creation and wealth generation.
She added that to this effect government will work closely with other stakeholders in ensuring that the Art and Cultural sector that has been dormant for a long time is revived through attracting of more tourists and foreign direct investment for the benefit of Zambians.
Ms. Masebo has since asked the American Ambassador to help market Zambia by attracting more USA tourists during next year’s UNWTO conference.
And Ambassador Storella pledged to encourage USA tourist to visit and invest in Zambia due to its conducive economic atmosphere.
Mr. Storella also congratulated President Michael Sata for creating an art portfolio adding that this will go a long way in stimulating Zambia’s economic growth.
He said USA is ready to share information with Zambia on how best to go about developing the industry.
The America Ambassador further challenged Zambia to investment more in its infrastructure such as roads, Airports and Museums to attract more tourists during the UNWTO assembly.
He explained that UNWTO is one of the World’s biggest conferences therefore the need for Zambia to prepare adequately.
ZANIS
I hope Caristo Chitamfya is no longer involved in marketing tourism. He acts like a maggot and eats his own people by inviting foreign musicians to promote Zambia.
Zambia needs to learn to love and support itself first otherwise the country will continue to be exploited by the likes of Mopani and Glencore
I agree. We need more self esteem. Then the rest will easily fall in place.
It is time to have a total face-lift for Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. We need to ask the Chinese to come and renovate the whole airport and they can do a lot of work in less than nine months with serious commitment.
We need to do the same for Simon M Kapwepwe International as well as Harry M Nkumbula International Airport. A real clean face-lift would involve jet bridges at these three airports all fully air-conditioned. It is sad to note that Simon is still the same as it was during Weleski.
Both Simon and Harry need an upgrade on the VIP lounges and that alone would even cost an arm and a leg. Â These types of improvements are, ostensibly, surface upgrades that address the appearance of a property, rather than such structural changes as replacing or tearing down walls.
Of course we will pay them (Chinese) for their work hosting the United Nations World Tourism organisation (UNWTO) conference is a respectable enterprise and these infrastructure improvements will be there before we build totally new airports for the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise and for those visitors wishing to visit our fantastic franchise.
It is time to showcase our beautiful mountains, splendid waterfalls, our gorgeous valleys and wonderful beaches such as Kasaba Bay and the like. It is time we showed our nice safaris beautiful quiet places like Nsumbu, our marvelous gorges like Kafue and Zambezi.
Our fantastic franchise has so much to offer its unbelievable, I am glad I am having my Zambia back, slowly but surely. What A Sweet Life!!!
Livingstone seriously needs a face lift, 2 to 3 major malls can also be built, Amusement Parks  need also to be looked into and also encouraging World class 5 star hotels to be built like Sheraton, Ritz Carlton, Hilton etc. We need to encourage tourists to spend money in the Zambian economy.Â
How does Americans market Zambia?Zambia can only be marketed by Zambians mama minister.Is this about CNP?lets have a game plan.Americans are busy marketinghttp://m.youtube.com/# themselves.Who is going to monitor that the Americans are marketing our Zambian tourism?Lets be serious this is not about mere talk to please people this industry has got too much potential to create jobs it needs a lot of political will than mere lip service.Send our people to America to learn if we do not know what to do and then come and implement.
This business of ASKING OTHERS TO DO THINGS FOR YOU is really SI.LLY!!! It is almost 50 yrs ago since we gained independence – WE OUGHT TO HAVE LEARN’T HOW TO DO THINGS FOR OURSELVES!!! This lack of ideas & initiative is something we should do away with – THIS IS NOT LEADING THE COUNTRY – IT IS JUST ANOTHER FORM OF BEGGING!!!
Very true Kamwendo
@Kamwendo….have you ever built your own house?…if yes!…did you physically get involved in the construction works..if no! then i guess you used your resources to pay whoever was doing the dirty work for you to bring out your impressive mansion. dont insult us..if we have the resources to pay the china man then why cant we engage them with the expectation of an impressive piece of artwork…think before you smear your dirty thoughts on the screen…..can you define begging for me please!!!!!!!
just merely asking someone to market your product without telling them the benefits and value attached to your product and the marketing strategies you have put in place is completely useless. what will storela tell the Americans about masebo’s product?. what is there to market? potholes, un collected gabbage or what? we need experts to head some of these ministries. she is talking of tourism having the potential of creating employment but i have never heard her saying how it is going to create the talked about employment. meaning she is blank. the young. baby boomers should leave leadership to the NET generation. there ideas are old fashioned.
And yet tourism and arts are industries that promote both local and international interaction :) Reaching out to this side of the USA is not a bad thing and an admission we are recognising the global nature of the challenge before us. However, we have not fully tapped in to our own true potential so please continue to also look within for solutions that have a synergy with international outreach to countries including the USA. Just the online potential of being able to market arts directly to those parts of the globe who already have people who come to Zambis pick up a carving for ten bucks and sell it for a grand. Assist the carvers for example to earn real money. There is a huge market!
Zambis being Zambia :)
MASEBO Â REALLY LOOKS TERRIBLE AND UGLY Â IN THIS PICTURE Â
Awe imwe, that hair on ma masebo looks like they just pulled her head out of a vacuum cleaner and the smile kind of tells the story that she was thankful to whoever who  yunked her heard out of a vacuum cleaner and save her life. All  that heft zero tax salary she gets from tax payers, can’t she afford a make up specialist sure?
Asking an American ambassador to market your country, are you sure you’re okay upstairs madam? His Excellence is in Zambia to represent his country’s interests. Masebo, you’re a big embarrassment!
Ule pela umunobe inchito, ninshi nao nakwata inchito iyo ba mutuma ba USA!!!!!!!! Just do it mama Masebo, do not depend on others they have a lot to do for their countries.
There is massive potential in ensuring we tap in to each of the arts as a separate but jointly promotional entity. Art tourism attracts a different market of its own. People travel the world just to visit works of art. Music tourism attracts those who follow known acts to global concerts with locals. The creative industries are finally getting recognition and I for one am happy to engage in assisting our country in educating and training animators, designers, illustrators, writers, musicians, dancers, singers, photographers, technical audio, tv and film crews, game technology etc. in a scheme where culture and tourism products, events and online output with media licensing will provide jobs across the country.
It’s called passing the buck. You know Mr.Storella is agreeing out of courtesy. He’s an ambassador and not a middle man to tourism industry. He probably goes home and laughs at our stupidity. Only WE can promote that industry. Seriously, if he was to promote our tourism industry, what would he say?
Cluelessness of the highest order mama.Develop and depend on your own human resources to market zambia and quit asking americans.Sad that even our supermarket sector has to depend on foreign knowhow because of this type of self doubt.Not good.
I’ll go out on a limb and say all the ambassador has to do is talk to his own. The words ‘joint promotion’ will come up and the rest will be a positive boost. On the other hand I could just sit on my hands, think the worst and diss. Have a look around at the real world of tourism. Countries interact to progress more than you think. I agree we as Zambians need to pull a finger out. 2013 is already upon us and we have a nation to promote so believing in our global placement starts in the smallest village. So it’s going to be hard but it has to be done. Involve Zambians in selling Zambia not as props but commercial partners.
What kind of dependence is this? For anything to be done it has to be funded by donors and now you cannot even market your own country instead you want others to do it for you. This is disgraceful. What a shmeless people!!!
Perhaps I am reading wrong. I thought this was about the creative industries and the revival of culture and arts which have potential to woo tourists. Let’s not be naive. Every country including USA is coming to Zambia next year to promote its own. All of them are looking for a creative edge. Handing one to the US will be used by them for themselves but can be jointly promotional in nature coz out shining the hosts is undiplomatic. I would tell all ambassadors including our own to market Zambia but even the UK high commission has no cultural desk :)
Ok Masebo! Now we understand that u are trying to apologise to the Americans for Listing Zambia as one of the countries not safe for americans to visit! U have a hell of a job cause when his exellence open his mouth very soon shit will come out him,u will have to clean it up again.
Staging cultural events properly means everyone from electricians, carpenters, plumbers, caterers, light and sound engineers need administrative support from managers, lawyers, accountants etc. and creative input from designers to director. Photographers and film crew capture events which editors and producers provide to licensors and online marketing and promotion. Performers like musicians, dancers, etc creatively engage across cultural borders. Raising the quality of all these is a priority. And this is a tiny example of jobs involved in improving performance in the creative world.
WHY US ENVOY? US ENVOY OR US CAN NEVER MARKET ZAMBIA FOR YOU. THEY ARE ALSO MARKETING THEIR TOURISM AND OTHER BUSINESSES. ZAMBIA MUST MARKET ZAMBIA’S TOURISM AND THE GOVT MUST INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IN THE MARKETING SECTION OF TOURISM. HERE ABROAD I HAVE NEVER SEEN BILLBOARDS ADVERTISING ZAMBIA’S TOURIST DESTINATION. BUT I HAVE SEEN A LOT ON KENYA, SOUTH AFRICA, ZIMBABWE LET ALONE NORTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. YOU CAN’T ASK YOUR FRIEND TO COME AND MAKE CHILDREN FOR YOU WITH YOUR WIFE BECAUSE HE WILL END UP MARRYING YOUR WIFE.
I think I’ve ruined my monitor spitting out coffee. You’re a funny guy!
Conflicting Policies on Tourism between Masebo and her boss President Sata. Not long ago the President clearly stated that Tourism causes harm to eco-system and would rather it is NOT expanded. So who should I listen to now if I want to decide whether or not it is worth investing in this industry?  Â
Listen to yourself coz they are shooting in the breeze so it is time for those who have a clue to move forward. Case in point. Look who runs the lodges in Zambia. Do you think they waited to be guided or just used theiir smarts to figure out how to profit regardless of the system?Â
#9 ALL BUT VERY FEW BLACK WOMEN HAVEN’T A SHRED OF CONFIDENCE. THEY ALL WANT TO LOOK LIKE WHITES. BLACKS ARE BLESSED WITH VERY BEAUTIFUL PHYSICAL FEATURE. BUT THEY ARE BRAIN-WASHED TO START THINKING THAT HAVING A DARK COMPLEXION IS INFERIOR, HAVING KINKY HAIR IS FORESTRY. ALL BLACK WOMEN LOOK SO UGLY IN THOSE LONG ARTIFICIAL HAIR SUCH THAT THEY APPEAR LIKE RAIN-SOAKED KITTENS. IT’S ALL LACK OF CONFIDENCE AMONGST OUR BLACK SISTERS. AND THEY WANT TO MARKET ZAMBIA- HOW CAN YOU MARKET ZAMBIA FIRST WHEN YOU ARE NOT PROUD OF YOURSELVES. WHEN YOU CAMOUFLAGE YOURSELVES. IS IT A QUESTION OF BEING LAZY TO WASH YOUR HEADS. BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE HEAD REALLY STINK ONE WOULDN’T LIKE TO BE NEAR MOST OF THOSE HEADS.
@Peter….you are funny and silly…dont insult the women folk please…just comment objectively..
You’re funny but rude. Come on Peter, I know you know better :)
….@Kamwendo….have you ever built your own house?…if yes!…did you physically get involved in the construction works..if no! then i guess you used your resources to pay whoever was doing the dirty work for you to bring out your impressive mansion. dont insult us..if we have the resources to pay the china man then why cant we engage them with the expectation of an impressive piece of artwork…think before you smear your dirty thoughts on the screen…..can you define begging for me please!!!!!!!
I MEANT WELLS IN PREVIOUS
Really, asking Americans when the tourist society have been screaming to your Tourism ministers for forty years. Its just a coutesy call, Madame mininster, dont waste time, Zimbabwe has already got a bigger slice even with the sanctions, Drive a few more tractors and than leave them to be scavenged, a few more photo shoots and There u are.Some minister even had the cheek to build a lodge,in Kalomo 10 meters from the highway?? do u think that is allowed?? there are others that need looking into.