President Hakainde Hichilema says the tourism sector has a huge potential to create jobs for Zambian people.
And the President has promised to support efforts that the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) is making towards marketing the country to the outside world.
Mr Hichilema said this when he met the new ZTA board in Livingstone during his visit to the tourist capital.
Mr Hichilema commended the ZTA for their commitment to improving the tourism industry, adding that government is ready to support every progressive effort aimed at rebuilding the economy.
“Indeed, I am delighted to hear that you have launched a tourism package plan to increase tourist arrivals next year which will result in more revenue for the country,” he said.
He has since urged the ZTA to collaborate with Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Infrastructure among others in order to share business ideas especially on how best to improve the road and hotel infrastructure in the country.
And Minister of Tourism, Rodney Sikumba, said government, in its quest to promote the tourism sector, is going to work on infrastructure such as roads and other tourist sites in the country.
Mr Sikumba stated that government will next year work on roads leading to tourism sites to promote accessibility to the sites.
He said government has in the 2023 budget set aside money to work on roads to unlock the tourism potential dotted across the country.
He explained that in a bid to increase tourist arrivals to 1.5 million, the ZTA board has launched the executive marketing plan to sell the country to the rest of the world.
Mr Sikumba added that the marketing plan is expected to employ many Zambians as the country projects over 1.5million tourists who will in turn bring in the much-needed revenue.
Earlier, ZTA Board Chairman, Dan Brink, said the tourism sector is expected to tremendously add to the gross domestic product of the country following the launch of the marketing plan.
Mr Brink explained that tourism will no doubt improve the economic activities in the country and create decent jobs for the people, especially the youths.
The tourism sector has the capacity to contribute to the development the economy of the country once fully exploited.
