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ZAMBIA VP URGES TOURISM PARTNERS TO
CAPTURE THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY UNWTO
August 23, 2013
LIVINGSTONE, Zambia – The impending arrival of UNWTO delegates
from various parts of the globe has been something the Zambians
have been prepping for in recent months, and for good reason.
Even the country's second in command, Vice President Guy Scott,
has said the UNWTO event is a “golden opportunity for Zambians
to showcase the country's vast tourism potential to the outside
world."
The preparations are in full swing and the anticipation, at
least from the Zambian side, for the upcoming United Nations
World Tourism Organizations' (UNWTO) 20th General Assembly
is building. This is palpable in Lusaka at the Kenneth
Kaunda International Airport and in Livingstone at the Harry
Mwaange Nkumbula International Airport, as evidenced by
ubiquitous signage, the hordes of greeters wearing “UNWTO"
white-shirts and exclusive UNWTO Wi-Fi connections available
at both airports and at participating hotels.
Speaking this past weekend at the tourism sector-focused
Third Zambia International Investment Forum, held at the
Zambezi Hotel, Vice President Scott said: “The UNWTO
conference is important to us in that we must make house
about ourselves and make sure that rich people from China,
India, and the Far East generally know that Victoria Falls,
South Luangwa National Park, and other products are found in
Zambia. Let's market those, and in general the country's
tourism potential, they gave to know what we have."
Taking the lead in marketing Zambia by Zambians and “not by
other people" is paramount to the Zambian Vice President.
“Let's be number one and stop thinking that other countries
know more than us," he said. “Let's just be more
aggressive."
The 20th edition of the UNWTO General Assembly marks the
first time in the organization's history that two
neighboring countries are hosting the event. On the Zambia
side, Livingstone will be the site where sessions will be
held for this year's General Assembly, while Zimbabwe has
appointed Victoria Falls as the host city for the event.
Since its inception, the 20th edition of UNWTO's General
Assembly marks the third time Africa has hosted the event -
Egypt (in 1995) and Senegal (in 2005).
Among the efforts by the Zambians to maximize its
co-sponsorship of the UNWTO's upcoming event involve the
construction of a world-class, mini-dome (a temporary
structure erected on the banks of the Zambezi Hotel at the
Royal Livingstone Hotel), an extensive transportation plan
for delegates in and around Livingstone (shuttles will run
from all official hotels to both Zambian and Zimbabwean
conference sites at regular intervals), and the Zambian
government has decided to ease the movement of travelers via
a Gratis visa for delegates and those accompanying them as
well as establishing computerized border posts at Katima
Mulilo and Kazangula.
In addition, construction to upgrade road infrastructure and
airport facilities has also been implemented. It has also
been claimed that tourist attractions (such as the Victoria
Falls Heritage Site, the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, the
Livingstone Museum, the Marumba Cultural Village, the
Livingstone Art Gallery, and the Mwandi Cultural Tourism
Village) have been upgraded.
The 20th edition of the General Assembly by UNWTO, held
every other year, will take place from August 24 to 29,
2013.
Photo by Christian Del Rosario, eTN
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