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Zambian gov't diversifies tourism marketing to maximize potential

Xinhua, October 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

A senior Zambian government official said on Thursday that the government has taken a policy shift in marketing the country's tourism by targeting various other forms of activities in order to showcase the country's tourism potential to the outside world.

Ministry of Tourism and Arts Permanent Secretary Stephen Mwansa said the shift in the marketing policy will ensure that the government explores untapped potential.

The policy shift will see the country package and develop other forms of tourism such as health, academic and sports tourism, he added.

The PS, who just attended the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in South Africa, said it was unfortunate that Zambia's tourism has been hinged on nature and a few annual traditional ceremonies for a long time, adding that this will now change.

He said in a statement released by the Zambian Embassy in South Africa that the government will soon realign the National Heritage Commission into the Ministry of Tourism and Arts so that heritage sites are included in the new tourism marketing strategy.

Tourism, he said, has the potential to increase its contributions to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if properly harnessed.

The sector has so far increased to contribution to the GDP from 2.1 percent to 3.5 percent and the government's plans to increase it to 10 percent by 2030. Endit