President EDGAR LUNGU has opened the Victoria falls to the public which was closed due to the outbreak of Covid 19 pandemic.
President LUNGU says he wants key sectors of the economy running whilst observing the new normal of following Covid 19 health guidelines.
The President also said government will give incentives to sectors such as tourism in order to help it grow and sustain the available jobs.
He said the minister of finance will be briefed on which reliefs to give to the tourism sector.
President LUNGU also toured some hotels in Livingstone in order to appreciated the challenges faced by the sector.
The head of state was briefed that hotels in Livingstone were incurring losses because there are no tourists to book rooms and other facilities.
Later the head of state had his lunch at Chrisma Hotel restaurant where social-distancing was observed.
President LUNGU said he decided to have lunch at a restaurant in oder to show his support to the hospitality industry which has been hardly hit by the pandemic.
And tourism minister Ronald Chitotela says the President’s decision to open up the sector will help save many jobs.
Mr Chitotela assured President Lungu that the sector will adhere to the new normal.
Meanwhile Livingstone tourism Council representative Rodney Sikumba says the council is grateful to government for responding to their request of opening up the tourism sector.
Where is minister of tourism.
The president is very much involved in many activities that should be done by the respective ministries
This is encouraging Mr President otherwise people will starve to death in Livingstone a town entirely dependent on tourism.
LT and your journalists. Do you realise that ‘hardly hit’ and ‘hard hit’ have too different, in fact opposite meanings? I am sure you meant the latter and not the former as presented in the article!
Hakainde was best suited to re open this landmark which is based in south province. The richest province in Zambia based on both geographical landmarks and human resources.
Mean while
Zambia has recorded an addition 174 COVID-19 cases out of the 338 tests performed In The Last 72 Hours bring cases to 441
Which tourist is going to come there…..? Concentrate on things which make sense. I dont see any european rushing to buy a ticket to Zambia
Good move Mr President. How about the payment of retirees at PSPF? We request you pay retirees Mr President. The last payment you made has brought confusions, PSPF paid personnel who just recently retired of 2018 and 2019 leaving out those who retired in 2016 and 2017. More over, the numbers which we were following at PSPF are now in disarray as they can not be followed anymore because of this development. PSPF are saying it was your directive to pay 2018-2019 personnel and not 2016-2017 retirees. Mr President we are appealing to you in this matter twapapata.
Do people really advise this guy when they wake him up …..
Currently most dveloped countries where u expect tourists to come from have closed borders…
Air spaces are closed and carriers are not flying..
if you visited Zambia on return you will be quarantined for two weeks..
So who is going to come? or is a case of let me show that am doing something???
This moron Edgar has absolutely no understanding of what is happening on a global scale …he can not wait for international flights to resume so he can fly out on the jet now he is just flying locally he cant stay in State House. He thinks by opening Victoria Falls tourists will jet in mass …this man needs better advisers savvy to what is happening around the world.
TheEngineer – When you have corrupt ministers like Chitotela surely what advise can they give you!!
Zambians are not dying from coronavirus, but tourists will die.
This is laughable. Where will tourists come from
“President LUNGU said he decided to have lunch at a restaurant in oder to show his support to the hospitality industry which has been hardly hit by the pandemic”.
Lucky hotel!
Lunch at Chrisma hotel which belongs to non other than Valden Findlay.
The world is in lockdown. Where is
The tourist going to come from?
Better to give incentive to business operators to try other
Food and essential goods businesses.
Here is a PF minister stating that opening of Victoria falls by Lungu will create jobs!. Really, how a minister really underestimate effects of covid-19, so much that Lungu’s face in Livingstone brings jobs by abracada-abracada – moron
Lunch at his best friend Valden Findlay’s hotel, quite interesting. Can he also visit some selected bars and night clubs that have been hardly hit by his selective directives.
badly hit
Quick qn: When is Mr. Clueless’ last day in that office? He has diminished that office irreparably.Where are better and respectacble heads like that of baly HH?
Ati opens Victoria falls. Can you do such a thing??
The only Tourist I see visiting that place now is that guy on fours walking behind the man. Countries are in Lockdowns and many airlines still have their planes grounded or are going into Administration. This so called “New Normal” only sounds normal in PF circles. We should not expect much with our escalating new cases. We should have aggressively locked down immediately WHO sounded the alarm. Now we are paying the price for taking the casual approach! Good luck with your tourists on fours.
By the way, Victoria Falls is open but I have not heard of The Airport opening. Are we not missing something?
I agree with lungu on this one. We cannot allow the economy to tank over a flu virus.
We must have all the key sectors of the economy running while putting mrasures in place to manage the outbreak.
I support this 100%
Don’t expect tourists from rich countries to come and risk dying in poverty stricken hospitals with no running water
GRZ should have worked with selected small lodges to offer quarantined package holidays for the rich Europeans and Americans.
Thousands of western millionaires are ready to fly on their private jets , land in Lusaka and be wisked away to closed quarantined lodges , without contact with the population at large. Only local staff have contact observing health guidelines.
Many a millionaire and their families would have taken this up.
“Chrismar Hotel”.
Nazo nkhani, I’m sure ba Narco Don was on that flight with J0n@ from Lusaka.
This Goon only does things that benefit him or his Goonz & mate’s.
Bravo Mr President, the New Normal is the right way to address covid-19. You have guided the Public health of the Nation.
The way the baboon behind him is just looking at him. Bola naikosa countries that do not save enough in their treasuries for moments like this balimuchibe, the way some countries balifye lo lo lo busy pumping billions of dollars into the economies. Much as we want to get the economy back to normal we should also consider our brothers and sisters with underlying health issues, this covid has no mess for people with compromised immunities, let’s ensure that we protect people with respiratory health issues, those diabetic etc, and the elderly by ensuring that we give them enough time to stay home so that they don’t get exposed this disease.
Just a reminder on how quickly this covid19 can turn nasty:
The USA had 38 covid19 deaths as of 11 March 2020, 2 months later on 11 May 2020 there were 80,100 deaths,….. Basopo !!
Deja vu
When a monkey comes in the picture
Wina kanamutundila we all know what happened in 2011.
Another monkey in the byu byu.
God help us with this swallow thinking.
Chrisma hotel is owned by Mr Valden Findlay. Who owns Protea hotel?
All normal people know that no tourist is coming. Where do you expect people to go? Straight into the problem or away from the problem? You are better safe than sorry. Stay home
Edgar Lungu is not normal and is behaving kike a mad dog. At this point in time we are morr concerned about the heightened covid-19 cases and he goes to open Victoria falls. Is he ok in his head? PF must go!
It’s true tourism generates some cash but who is going to willingly choose to start flying in public transport just to tour during this pandemic rise so that they can get quarantined at their own costs. You will be very disappointed if you hope to see tourists at this time.
We are in some chibe situation because PF dont have sufficient brains to keep something for the rainy day. They finished what RB had saved and went on a borrowing spree to the tune of 90% of GDP. I still remember the clique that appeared in photo shots proud of landing the Euro bonds. Now with some of the Euros in their private pockets, the take is about cooperating partners, just a nice term for beggars to use.
And the Euro bond villains are still in government, they appear in the press daily, and well connected.
Where will tourists come from when all countries have banned flights?
PF must go indeed they have failed. If they were true patriotic people this time they could have just surrendered responsibility to people who can brainstorm wisely and start making effective and efficient decisions not wrong decision after wrong decision. Mmh unbelievable thinking
Too much ignorance being displayed here. Tourist does not mean foreigner. We havery a number of local tourists that come from Lusaka and other parts of the country to see the falls.
There comes anther fool who thinks like PF.how many local tourists do u have campared to international ones.why do u like lowing yr thinking as that of one year little baby..
John whatever, even locals should stay home if they care about their health!! And remember COVID transmission is exponential! Expect the 447 to hit 1200 soon! Before you know it 1200 will be 4200….so tell Mr. Visionless to rethink his decision and listen to the voice of reason!!
Yes this a disaster in the making, as we know there will be no international tourists til at least 2021 and SADC tourists are in lock down in their countries, so you have local tourist from Lusaka where most of the virus cases are so they come to Livingston and infect the local staff who infect their families, as i said before by Aug/Sept we are going to see thousands sick in Zambia .There is already more sick than reported due to the low testing levels. Also both SAA and Comair of SA are in receivership and even if SAA starts a new airline it won’t be flying to Zambia so who going to fly from Joburg?. Good to see some PF supporters in the back ground of the photo.
Yes this a disaster in the making, as we know there will be no international tourists til at least 2021 and SADC tourists are in lock down in their countries, so you have local tourist from Lusaka where most of the virus cases are so they come to Livingston and infect the local staff who infect their families, as i said before by Aug/Sept we are going to see thousands sick in Zambia .There is already more sick than reported due to the low testing levels. Also both SAA and Comair of SA are in receivership and even if SAA starts a new airline it won’t be flying to Zambia so what airline is going to fly from Joburg?. Good to see some PF supporters in the back ground of the photo.
Thanks Mr. President that’s the way to go!! Learn to leave with the new normal!!!!
Whats the strategy in dealing with this covid???actions should tally with strategy….U can’t emphasize staying home and inviting people to go out at the same time!it means there’s no strategy in fighting this covid…..it’s going with the wind in any direction it takes!
The President should have encouraged hotels to lower their accommodation rates in order to attract local tourists. Just maybe one would think about venturing out. The ‘opening’ of Victoria Falls will not attract any foreign tourists at all!