President Hakainde Hichilema has challenged African countries to enhance tourism packaging to attract tourists saying that the industry is as important as other sectors.
President Hichilema says pulling various tourism destinations and repackaging them together can enable the industry to flourish and attract more tourists to the African continent.
President Hichilema said this yesterday in Tanzania’s business capital, Dar Es Salaam where he had gone for a one day state visit.
President Hichilema noted that the tourism sector if well managed can generate more business opportunities for the continent.
“We are talking about tourist packages that will cover here in Tanzania, Zanzibar, as you know there are many islands here in Tanzania and obviously Zambia. When you pull this what I may call destinations together plus. Our Victoria falls, our national parks will make tourists stay longer in the continent,” he said.
President Hichilema said tourism is one sector that has already proved that it can generate more business opportunities, create sustainable jobs and wealth creation.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said she is happy that Zambia and Tanzania have started reviving their political relations which she said were somehow lost.
President Hassan said with the renewed political relations now in place, the two countries now have the muscles to build their economic powers.
She said the African continent should develop a spirit of taking care of assets left by fore fathers and ensure that they serve a tangible purpose in the new economic order.
“What should be put on record is the revival of our political relations which was somehow lost somewhere and with the political relations that bring in our people together, working together, we are building our economic power, ” she said.
The President has since returned back home and no explanation was given for him cutting short the visit. According to the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the president was to undertake a State Visit to the United Republic of Tanzania on 2nd to 3rd August, 2022, at the invitation of Her Excellency Ms. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
This Visit is highly significant as Tanzania remains a strategic partner as a link for transportation in the southern region for both freight and passengers through the eastern African seaport of Dar-es-Salaam. To this end, during the Visit, President Hichilema and President Hassan will hold bilateral talks where discussions will focus on areas of mutual interest aimed at enhancing trade, investment and infrastructure development, among others.
The two leaders were expected to engage on matters pertaining to the Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA), primarily operational issues including revamping and capitalization of the company.The Tanzania-Zambia Mafuta (TAZAMA) Pipelines Limited, and the Nakonde-Tunduma One Stop Border Post (OSBP) will also be an area of discussion and focus.
President Hichilema was thus scheduled to tour the Dar-es-Salaam Port, Dar-es-Salaam Standard Main Gauge Railway Station, TAZAMA Pipelines Limited and TAZARA.
President Hichilema and President Hassan were also topreside over the signing of Memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of Defence and Tourism.
Zambia and Tanzania share strong historical bilateral relations and a common boundary, and the two countries actively cooperate in social, political and economic areas within the framework of the Joint Permanent Commission of Cooperation.
