Sunday, February 2, 2025

President Hichilema Meets Steve Harvey to Boost Zambia’s Tourism Sector

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President Hichilema presents a gift to Steve Harvey

President Hakainde Hichilema welcomed American actor, television host, author, and businessman Steve Harvey to State House yesterday. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities to enhance Zambia’s tourism sector, leveraging Mr. Harvey’s vast network, particularly among African American travelers, as well as his global influence.

President Hichilema highlighted the potential for collaboration in promoting Zambia as a premier tourist destination. Despite challenges such as the drought impacting attractions like Victoria Falls, the country’s tourism industry continues to demonstrate resilience and growth.

“Zambia would greatly benefit from having international celebrities like Mr. Harvey showcase our unique offerings to the world,” the President said.

The discussion emphasized the untapped potential of Zambia’s natural beauty and cultural heritage, with a shared vision of increasing the country’s visibility on the global tourism map.

Mr. Harvey’s visit is seen as a promising step toward fostering international partnerships that could drive investment and bolster the nation’s economic development through tourism.

45 COMMENTS

  1. Mr President where are your ministers for you to be involved in everything and this should start from our Embassy in the USA and your government should sort out the load shedding than wasting resources on arresting opponents your Excellence

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    • Some of these celebrities have no time to meet mere ambassadors or ministers ……..rightly so.

      Re: i meet you leader, or I go somewhere else…..

      Forwadee 2031

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    • Iwe Logic, the great Steve Harvey being met by small fry such as Collins Mweetwa, Gary Nkombo, Jack Mwiimbu or even UPND rapper Thabo Kawana? It would be a disgrace. We would lose respect from Apollo Theatre, Comedy Central, Bet, etc and the Kwacha would fall further to say nothing of the US deciding to shun our paltry AGOA exports and closing down its military operations in Zed

    • I won’t be allowed inside state house cos the president has a very busy diary. There’s only space for meeting US comedians Steve Harvey and singer Neyo

  2. We joke too much in Africa…..even our own Tourism we beg foreigners to boost it on our behalf….like seriously…the entire Office of the President stooping so low to welcome Steve Harvey…..we should be ashamed of ourselves…Zambian Tourism can only be boosted by Zambians not someone who probably knew about Zambia the moment he landed in Zambia and before that he had no clue there’s a country called Zambia

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    • How many locals support tourism? How many Zambians have extra cash to go and tour our national parks, sleep in hotels and lodges? we rely heavily on foreign tourist. How Zambians can fly from Lusaka to Ndola, Livingstone,Mfuwe and other destinations? if Steve Harvey can boost our tourism through his connections there is nothing wrong.

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    • Anonymous

      The other day you were complaining about Kenya leveraging tourism and agriculture to boost development……….

      Now you are complaining when efforts are being made ??

      Forwadee 2031

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    • @TM, you would be surprised. A lot of local tourists visited Livingstone for the Christmas holidays last Dec. However, the way local tourists are treated by the establishments leaves much to be desired. I am going to the Zimbabwean side this Christmas. I hear the hospitality there is fantastic as long as you are paying for your services.

    • We need to give incentive to our locals to become local tourists. In Namibia they have such a thing, and I do have what they call the Gondwana membership which gives me over 50% in some cases in tourist places and lodges. In Zambia ni ku lumilatu! Whenever I visit a Zambian Game Park I brace myself for the expensive battering; only Victoria Falls seems to have fallen in line…

  3. Mosi Oa tunya is one of the 7 wonders of the world and we don’t need anyone to market it…it actually markets itself…all we need is to improve and develop Livingstone….THE WHOLE WORLD ALREADY KNOWS THE MIGHTY MOSI OA TUNYA…..don’t be fooled by Steve Harvey…he will just demand millions for nothing…..and i smell corruption whoever facilitated this trip got a massive brown enve

  4. Mining we have to ask foreigners to come and mine on our behalf….Tourism we have to beg washed out comedians to come and make millions out of us….Agriculture we have to invite Kenyans to come and grow maize on our behalf….in abundance of water a fool is thirsty

  5. One has to wonder was Steve invited here or did he come out of genuine interest
    DID he pay for the trip or did we ??
    The fact it is for tourism I do give it the thumbs up and support
    Unfortunatley we dont have enough reasonably price lodges to suit our pockets

  6. @ Tikki and Moto
    Its called “kickbacks” ..this trip was funded by zambian tax payers money and Steve Harvey is demanding millions for this trip….and whoever facilitated the trip got a huge brown envelope ….Stave Harvey is a washed out broke talk show host….now he wants to milk the Zambian Government….notice how they only think of traveling to Africa when they’re old and broke

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    • You may well be right !!, but still undecided ? the problem being we are never told the truth only half truths, this all leads to negativity and suspicion through no fault of ours

    • Liar. Harvey is one of the most successful black comedians with a networth of over 200 million US dollars. Take that into Kwacha and Musokotwane and HH the two richest men in UPND would be Harvey’s butlers

  7. Maybe it’s just me or I am superstitious – Of all Steve’s titles, both State House and the author here have missed out “relationship coach”. I think recent events have brought the most famous relationship coach to Zambia.

  8. We invite this guy to help boost tourism which in part would speak to Zambia a unique African destination and the gift you decide to give him is a portrait of himself? Not even a painting that might speak to local artistic capacity but a photo? In an ordinary frame? This is the best that the highest office in the land could come up with!? We are not serious. This endeavour has flopped even before it starts!

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    • @bla bla
      What’s the logic indeed? We could have given him a Kaunda suit. Or faked a picture of Mosi oa tunya in March. Or perhaps taken shots of the black lechwe in Lochinvar and given it to him. You know black lechwe is only found in Zambia!!
      We are really chimbwi no plans. Even a picture of a hyena would have jelled. The US doesn’t have chimbwis

  9. Steve Harvey is Former Botswana President Masisi best friend.

    He used to frequent Botswana a lot because of its diamond.

    Even the Kardashians have frequent Botswana because of their interest in investing in diamonds.

    They’re called celebrities for a reason,they’ve a self serving interest.

    I would’ve be surprised if he’s in Zambia for Gold explorations.

  10. Well reasoned Mr President………

    We need all the publicity we can get to boost tourism in zambia……..

    Kenya tourism industry took off after being boosted by the Royal family and other UK celebrities………

    Now film Steve Harvey in our game park so his millions of followers see , and maybe come……..

    Forwadee 2031……….

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    • Blind unhappyness with everything is a even bigger liability……….it is dangerous

      Even if Elon musk was to meet the president, some of you would find reasons to complain……..

      Never happy……….

      Like that chap Dejavu

      Forwadee 2031……..

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    • He comes regularly to South Africa with no fuss from politicians. He stayed months in Cape Town and Jozi without raising any dust. Just watch family feud south Africa where for the first time I saw him outside those three piece suits-in African gear

  11. The main issue here is to tackle what is creeping into Zambian society; Racism! Racism being brought in from China and South Africa. We are NOT slave owners’ puppets. I can’t believe that we are going from colonialism to financial colonialism. We need to regain our worth. We need a leadership that doesn’t turn an eye to such things! MAKE ZAMBIA GREAT AGAIN!(MZGA). It’s great to see Steve doing this. But if the targeted audience are “African-Americans”, as per the article, how then would encouraging tourism where racism has become blatant be an attraction to our country? Deport the folks that outwardly promote racism in our beloved country. We are not some uneducated, recalcitrant or rubber-stamp society. We are as human as anyone else of a different race.

    • Yes……I’m a proud african who fully supports the president………

      Not some of you…….

      Cowards who chage LT names like bambas…….. busy condemning everything from the west ,yet your wives are full of fake hair trying to look like mixed race or whites…….

      I’m a proud Africa who sees nothing wrong with the president seeking to introduce Steve Harvey’s millions of followers onto zambias tourism……..

      Forwadee 2031…….

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