WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE INCENTIVES TO HELP THE TOURISM SECTOR GROW- ZTA

WE have put in place incentives such as the introduction of visa free access initiative, removal of retention fees and tourism development fund among other initiatives to help the tourism industry grow, Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) Chief Executive officer Matongo Matamwandi has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Matamwandi said the tourism sector’s performance had shown 15% to 20% growth from 2022 to 2023 which was a good indicator for the sector.

He said the agency was tracking numbers on a monthly basis to ensure that the sector was on track .

“The agency’s strategy is to market the sector viably for tourists to spend more money not only on Victoria Falls but other tourism sites like the northern circuit.

Northern circuit will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the fund in terms of infrastructure development including the rehabilitation of Kasaba bay, Lake Tanganyika, the source of Zambezi River Liuwa side of Western province,” Mr. Matamwandi

Meanwhile, Social Economist Kelvin Chisanga noted that for Zambia to hit about three million tourists per annum by 2026 there was a need for infrastructure development with Airport structures adding that they had continued to underpin strong positive direction with the uptake focus within the tourism sector.

“It is estimated that the tourism industry will drive some substantial efforts towards the making of the hospitality industry to discharge strong spillovers into other key sectors of the local economy,” he said.

Mr. Chisanga emphasized that Tourism was one such a vibrant sector with numerous standing potentials which could help to drive exponentially national economic growth and development complimenting together with other key sectors such as agriculture, mining, telecommunications, transport, manufacturing, banking among others.

“We need to push for strong efforts on policy incentives which the government has heeded to. However, the industry players should engage and indulge into offering innovative and creative packages to help stimulate consumer appetite for tourism products and services.

With increased budget for tourism marketing, there is a need to take tourism strategically forward, making it as a key model to offer mental health from stress issues, leisure and promote the local participation with locally based tourists who need to fully participate at competitively low rates as incentives to push the trigger of demand pull for the domestic market stakeholders and citizens to participate with confidence,” he added.