Zambian Tourism On The Up

The Ministry of Tourism and Arts has revealed that there has been an increase on tourists in the country for both the local and foreign tourists.

The total number of tourists recorded has been 519,817, a good increase on 2017 which saw us receive 511,822.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, the Permanent Secretary stated that the tourists visited various tourist sites such as the National Parks and national heritage sites.

He explained that under the National Parks visited include South Luangwa, lower Zambezi, Mosi o tunya National Park, Lusaka National Park and the Kafue National Park and heritage sites such as Victoria Falls.

The department have been working to promote the country’s tourism opportunities, working closely with the Zambian Tourism Agency and media to spread the word.

There are some critics who say that many of these tourist attractions are too expensive for local Zambians, which leads many to care less about them.

The Minister stated that the tourism industry can only contribute effectively to the growth of the national economy if people begin appreciating the tourism industry more. However perhaps the government need to be doing more in the way of making our natural heritage accessible to all Zambians.

Once we instil a sense of national pride in our natural heritage we can greater protect it and grow our tourism potential.