Kozo Lodge rises from ashes as Oasis Spar of Choma

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:46:09 +0000

THE formerly Kozo Lodge belonging to former Higher Education minister Michael Kaingu in Choma  which was burnt to ashes, is re-opening soon as Oasis Spar to provide a business environment that will attract both locals and international tourists.

Oasis Spar manager Iris Kaingu said since 2001 Kozo Lodge had been providing the opportunity for visitors to stay long in Choma and enjoy the local hospitality and attractions en route to the tourist capital, Livingstone.

Ms Kaingu said after the burning of Kozo Lodge in October 2015, plans had been underway to continue supporting the tourism sector within the context of rural and urban tourism. She said the Oasis Spar would consist of a shopping mall with a supermarket, restaurant and hotel that would have four times the number of rooms compared to Kozo.

“While we contribute to the local economy, we want to make sure we promote tourism as we had been pioneers and we promise to give the best to Zambia as well as foreign visitors,” she said. Ms Kaingu said the shopping mall had gobbled more that K3 million and that more workers would be employed. She said former workers would be a priority as they had contributed much to the growth of the business, adding that the establishment would create more jobs especially for the locals. “We are into creating jobs and in a way bringing about new products and new service standards that will satisfy our people,” she said.

Ms Kaingu said the hotel was expected to be completed by next year, in the second phase of the project, adding that accommodation formed the base for tourism. “The motivation to travel is usually led by the desire to experience a wider tourism product at a particular resort or locality with accommodation as one of the crucial tourism products, and this will remain our core business,” she said.