TOURISM INDUSTRY AND TO PROMOTE NEW INITIATIVES AND IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE. THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION HAS IDENTIFIED GREEN INVESTMENT AS ONE OF THE KEY PRIORITIES FOR TOURISM’S RECOVERY AND FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR 2023. THE THEME ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR MORE AND BETTER TARGETED INVESTMENTS FOR PEOPLE BY INVESTING IN EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, PLANET BY INVESTING IN SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCELERATING GREEN TRANSFORMATION AND PROSPERITY BY INVESTING IN INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN,
THIS YEAR’S THEME, ‘TOURISM AND GREEN INVESTMENTS’ FURTHER REPRESENTS THE INTERSECTION OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY INVESTMENTS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING AND PROMOTING TOURISM ACTIVITIES AND DESTINATIONS THAT NOT ONLY PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFITS BUT ALSO PRIORITISE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CONSERVATION. IT EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR RESPONSIBLE AND ECO-CONSCIOUS PRACTICES WITHIN THE TOURISM SECTOR, ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR INVESTMENT IN PROJECTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION.
COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN,
TO AFFIRM ITS COMMITMENT AND BOOST FOR GREEN, RESILIENT, AND TRANSFORMATIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT, THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM RECEIVED $100 MILLION CREDIT FROM THE WORLD BANK TO STRENGTHEN ZAMBIA’S NATURE-BASED ECONOMY AND INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN EMERGING TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN THE COUNTRY SUCH AS LIUWA PLAINS NATIONAL PARK, SOURCE OF THE ZAMBEZI RIVER, AND KASABA BAY. THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND REVENUE FROM TOURISM AND THE BROADER NATURE-BASED ECONOMY SECTOR BY IMPROVING THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT, ENGAGING KEY STAKEHOLDERS, FINANCING KEY BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, AND PROVIDING MATCHING GRANTS TO COMMUNITIES FOR INVESTMENTS IN THE NATURE-BASED ECONOMY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ENHANCE SECTOR GOVERNANCE THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN REGULATORY REFORM AND BUILDING CAPACITY OF CORE SECTORAL AGENCIES. THE PROJECT IS ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL PRIORITIES IN THE EIGHTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (8NDP) AND VISION 2030. THE 8NDP UNDERSCORES THE GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO UNLOCKING THE TOURISM SECTOR FOR ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION AND JOB CREATION. IT SUPPORTS ZAMBIA’S GOAL TO INCREASE TOURISM BOTH FROM INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC SOURCES, IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, LENGTHEN OF STAY FOR TOURISTS, DIVERSIFY TOURISM PRODUCT OFFERINGS, AND INCREASE THE SECTOR’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.
COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN,
THIS WORLD TOURISM WEEK SERVES AS A BEACON OF HOPE AND A CELEBRATION OF THE SHEER RESILIENCE, CREATIVITY, AND STRENGTH OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY. IT IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR UNWAVERING DETERMINATION TO REBUILD, RECOVER, AND REESTABLISH TOURISM AS A FORCE FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD.
TO COMMEMORATE THIS YEAR’S WORLD TOURISM WEEK AND DAY, THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM HAS LINED UP A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES IN LINE WITH THE THEME WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
- CLEANING AND GREENING SOME SELECTED TOURISM SITES;
- RADIO AND TELEVISION PANEL DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE THEME;
- A SCHOOL DEBATE AROUND THE THEME.
- A CITY TOUR TO SELECTED TOURIST SITES IN LUSAKA;
- A GASTRONOMY EXHIBITION AND SAMPLING;
- A VISIT TO ONE OF THE TOURISM ENTERPRISES CHAMPIONING GREEN INVESTMENT OR ECHO TOURISM;
- A TOURISM BUSINESS INVESTMENT FORUM TO BE HELD AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE;
- A TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ESSAY/CONCEPT NOTE WRITING COMPETITION ON THE REMODELING OF THE KABWATA CULTURAL VILLAGE AND MUNDAWANGA; AND
- OTHER TOURISM SATELLITE ACTIVITIES ARE HELD IN ALL PROVINCIAL CENTERS TO CREATE AWARENESS.
I ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO FULLY ENGAGE IN THESE EVENTS AND DISCUSSIONS PLANNED FOR THIS WEEK. LET US SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES, KNOWLEDGE, AND IDEAS, AND INSPIRE ONE ANOTHER TO SHAPE A FUTURE OF TOURISM THAT IS INCLUSIVE, ETHICAL, AND RESILIENT.
COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN,
MAY I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM WILL HOLD THE THIRD EDITION OF THE PAMODZI CARNIVAL. THE 2023 PAMODZI CARNIVAL WILL BE HELD UNDER THE THEME ‘ONE ZAMBIA, ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE, ONE PEOPLE THROUGH CULTURAL DIVERSITY’. THIS IS A 2-DAY EVENT WHICH WILL BE HELD FROM 29TH TO 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2023 AT THE LUSAKA SHOW GROUNDS MAIN ARENA.
THE FIRST DAY, FRIDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2023 WILL INCLUDE PERFORMANCES AND TRADITIONAL FOODS AND HANDICRAFTS EXHIBITIONS WHILE THE STREET CARNIVAL COUPLED WITH MORE STAGE PERFORMANCES AND CONTINUED EXHIBITIONS OF TRADITIONAL FOODS AND HANDICRAFTS WILL BE ON SECOND DAY, SATURDAY, 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2023.THE EVENT WHICH PROMOTES CULTURAL TOURISM WILL SHOWCASE HANDICRAFTS PRODUCED BY CRAFTSMEN AND WOMEN FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL FOODS AND DRINKS.
THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL THE 72 ETHNIC GROUPINGS FROM THE TEN (10) PROVINCES. THIS INITIATIVE IS MEANT TO PROMOTE CONTINUED UNITY OF PURPOSE, REVIVING OF SOME OF OUR CULTURAL VALUES AND PRACTICES, AS WELL AS PRESERVATION OF OUR IDENTITY.
THE MINISTRY THEREFORE INVITES THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ATTEND THIS EVENT WHICH WILL HAVE FREE ENTRY AS THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS TO DIALOGUE AND ENJOY ZAMBIA’S CULTURAL DIVERSITY. IT WILL BE FUN FILLED DAY AND ALL ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO THE DRESS CODE OF CHITENGE ATTIRE.
COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN,
AS I LAUNCH THE 2023 WORLD TOURISM WEEK, I DO SO WITH A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THE TREMENDOUS CHALLENGES THAT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS FACED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THE ONGOING PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT UNPRECEDENTED DISRUPTIONS, FORCING US TO REIMAGINE AND REINVENT THE WAY WE TRAVEL AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD.
IT IS NOW MY SINGULAR HONOR TO LAUNCH THE 2023 WORLD TOURISM WEEK.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
