Tourism council calls for balance between security, tourism for sustainable development

Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) has stated that it was essential to balance national security concerns with attracting international tourists to ensure sustainable tourism development.

Council Chairman, Yousuf Zumla, mentioned that it was essential for Zambia to uphold their visa policies and strategies to attract more international tourists from within the continent, irrespective of decisions made by other nations.

Speaking during a Press Briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday, Zumla encouraged the country to learn from Namibia’s decision to revoke the visa waiver program for certain countries which indicated possible negative effects on the tourism industry and overall investment.

“Since the initiation of Zambia’s visa waiver program in January 2023, a notable surge in international tourist arrivals has been witnessed, with projections indicating exceeding pre-COVID levels by 2024, welcoming approximately 1.7 million international air visitors and over 2.5 million international road travelers,” he said.

He added that Zambia’s visa waiver underscored the positive outcomes of visa waiver programs in fueling the development of the tourism sector and bolstering economic prosperity.

“Tourism is a rapidly growing sector and we urge more Zambians to get involved and benefit from tourism businesses,” he added.

He further urged the country to to take advantage of the positive growth of the visa waiver programs on the tourism sector.

“By actively participating in tourism businesses, whether through hospitality, tour operations or cultural exchanges, Zambians can contribute to the sector’s expansion and reap the economic rewards that come with it,” he pointed out.

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