By ANDREW MUKOMA
THE Business Regulatory Review Agency (BRRA) will next year begin the operationalisation of single licensing system for the tourism sector.
Executive Director Sharon Sichilongo has said this will be done after realising the challenges the sector is facing for one to acquire licences to do business.
Speaking during an engagement with the Livingstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Livingstone Tourism Association and Kazungula Chamber of Commerce, Ms Sichilongo noted the high cost of doing business in the tourism sector in the country.
She said that as a wider government response to the regulatory challenges the sector is facing, the agency is working on a single licensing system for the sector.
She disclosed that a consultant was engaged to do a study of the regulatory framework in the sector and design a single licensing system.
Ms Sichilongo said that the consultant has since completed that part of the assignment and the next phase is the operationalisation of the system in 2022 when funds are expected to be made available.
Ms Sichilongo said that the last time the agency had a meeting with the Livingstone Tourism Association, there was an issue of rafting fees where both the Department of National Parks (DNPW) and the National Heritage Conservation Commission were collecting the fees.
“BRRA wants to partner with the private sector in the creation of a conducive regulatory environment. You’re better placed to articulate the challenges that regulations has on business operations,” she said.
And Livingstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice president Banwell Mwila said there were too many licences required for someone to get into the tourism business.
Mr Mwila said that as a result of too many licences, it was expensive to do business hence the need for the single licensing to be implemented as soon as possible.
Ends.
