World Bank team recognises Zambia’s tourism potential

THE World Bank has just concluded a nine-day mission to Zambia’s Luapula and Northern provinces at the invitation of the Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB) to investigate the area’s tourism potential. This according to an article in the daily Times of Zambia newspaper, which confirms that the Zambia’s as yet undiscovered northern region has much to offer tourists. The report quotes World Bank Country Manager, Ohene Nyanin, as saying: “We would like to learn the tourism potential up north because we sincerely believe that Zambia’s economic boom lies in tourism.” Nyanin is said to have told Zambia to look at the northern region for its economic growth and diversification from the traditional cooper mining economy. “In the north lies the potential in water in form of rivers and lakes, developed national parks and indeed several waterfalls,” he said. ZNTB managing director, Charity Lumpa, said the organisation had invited the World Bank on the tour so that they could find ways of opening up the tourism industry in that area. “The World Bank is already supporting tourism industry development in Livingstone and Kafue National Park and we know that one of the major problems hindering the development of the tourism industry in the north is poor infrastructure and difficulty in accessing tourism sites. We are hoping the World Bank can extend their support to the northern region in terms of infrastructure development,” she said. (Natalia Thomson)