The Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has revealed that 1,622,263 passengers entered the country through the country’s airports in 2016.
The figure represents a positive overall growth of 2.3 percent when compared with the same period last year.
The general passenger movement for Kenneth Kaunda, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Mfuwe International Airports was 1,622,263.
The domestic passenger movements were 274,344 while international passenger movements were 1,347,919.
The Corporation says a positive growth of 4.4% was recorded in international passenger movements while domestic passenger movements recorded a negative growth of (7.2%).
On the other hand, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport decreased by 5.4% partly due to a drop of expatriates working in the mines.
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport as the largest gateway in the country carried 71 per cent of total general passenger movements in the fourth quarter of 2016 while Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airports performed joint second with each carrying 14% of total passengers.
The smallest airport, Mfuwe International Airport carried 2% of the total traffic.
And the Corporation says the ongoing construction of the upgrade of Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is progressing well with the structure of Terminal 2 taking shape.
The new Fire and Rescue Service Stations will be complete in 2017 while the new Water Reservoir and Pump House are also advancing well.
“The overall developmental works at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport will conclude in 2019. Zambia Airports Corporation Limited is confident that the various developmental projects including the newly commissioned Terminal 2 at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, the construction in Lusaka and planned upgrades in Ndola and Mfuwe will greatly improve facilitation for both passengers and airlines as well as enrich the customer experience while cementing Zambia’s place as the next regional hub,” Corporation Spokesperson Mweembe Sikaulu said.
It is GOOD to note the POSITIVE trajectory in passenger growth, however we also need to know: what has been the REAL GAIN to NCL and ZAMBIA at large from this INCREASE in passenger traffic??
Where is the money?
Does this number include party cadres and other hangers-on welcoming or sending off ECL
The number represents Pf cadres to china
That’s a small number we shouldn’t event be excited. It just shows we are not promoting and selling our tourism correct. With Victoria Falls, Kafue, Luangwa, Lower Zambia national parks and many more in Northern & Luapula, we need to be attracting close to 10 million visitors passing through our airports. That revenue would benefit us.
Bitterness yields nothing. Pabwatooo and the hour!!!!
I hope you subtracted Lazy Lungu and his cadres from this calculation!!
Passing through is the correct word. Most Tourists land in Livingstone and then leave for Botswana or Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe they then return to Livingstone to depart back to the counrties.