Dear Editor,
THE Tourism sector is the front liner in bringing the foreign currency into Zambia as the nation has identified itself as a safe haven for foreign tourists.
Ever since its ascendancy to power, the Patriotic Front has dedicated implementation of the pro poor policies with the tourism sector being the recipient of a fair share. The PF has implemented and undertaken the various reforms in the tourism sector.
So far the infrastructure development has led to construction, rehabilitated and modernised international airports at Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone and Mfuwe.
This has also seen construction of the Mongu-Kalabo road to the Liuwa National Park; the road to the Sioma-Ngwezi National Park; the road from Chipata to the Mfuwe game park; the Chama-Matumbo road to the North Luangwa game park; the Kafue-Chiawa road, through the Michael Sata bridge, to the lower Zambezi National Park.
Government has also supported the holding of cultural ceremonies countrywide. In 2013 Zambia and Zimbabwe co-hosted the World Tourism Organisation General Assembly which promoted the publicity of the country’s tourism.
In recent past more initiatives have been put in place notably opened the Lusaka National Park, with good access roads through the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Zone (MFEZ) and also overhauled the Mulobezi railway line.
The journey for the reformation in the tourism development has not ended here but it will instead be among the priorities that the party will carry on after the Zambians have renewed its mandate for another five years.
The PF intend to give preference to domestic tourism to stabilise the income having in mind the Covid-19 pandemic which has restricted international tourism.
By doing so, the government will embark on initiatives to construct roads to the tourism sites which will make them accessible. The other prospects which will be exploited includes the rich cultural diversity that Zambia has and they will be used to foster economic growth.
Maramba Cultural Village has been earmarked for development and this will increase the value of the tourist attraction.
The PF intend to ride on the economic diplomacy and use its embassies abroad as the platform of marketing the opportunities for tourism back home.
The PF also intend to decentralise the tourism activities to provinces and progressively to districts through the provincial and district expos.
MARVIN CHANDA MBERI,
Lusaka.
