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Tourism Industry
wildlife and natural resources through community re-
source boards and other community-based initiatives
are highly encouraged.
Structure of the Tourism Sector
The tourism sector incorporates public sector, private
sector, civil society, and local community activities.
The tourism public sector includes the Ministry of
Tourism, Environment and Natural resources, which is
a sector regulator, developer, and coordinator through
the Department of Tourism. It also includes five statu-
tory bodies that either regulate or develop subsectors
of tourism and provide human resource develop-
ment. These bodies are the Zambia Wildlife Authority
(ZAWA), National Heritage Conservation Commis-
sion, Zambia Tourism Board, the National Museums
Board, and the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute.
As tourism in Zambia is still in its infancy, emphasis
is being placed on research and development of the
diverse subsectors of the sector and strategic tour-
ism planning through tourism development zones.
Zambia is strongly encouraging strategic partnerships
between indigenous Zambians and foreign inves-
tors. Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) initiatives are
permitted under Zambian law, and this alternative of-
fers investors a wide array of investment options to
choose from.
Promotion and mark
eting
Zambia’s marketing agency, the Zambia Tourism
Board (ZTB), is charged with creating awareness to
domestic, regional, and international tourism markets
through aggressive marketing campaigns.
The ZTB has participated in world tourism events,
conferences, sales exhibitions, and fairs as well as
road shows. It strives to market Zambia as a pre-
ferred tourist destination. Beyond representing itself
in tourism fairs abroad, Zambia hosts its own local
tourism exhibition entitled the Zambia International
Travel Show, which takes place in March or April of
each year.
The radio and tourism programs and exhibitions con-
ducted during local fairs and conferences have all
served to promote tourism in the domestic market so
as to stimulate domestic tourism.
Wil
dl
ife tourism
Wildlife tourism is Zambia’s biggest and most suc-
cessful subsector of the Zambian tourism sector. It
accounts for most of the country’s tourist attractions
via National Parks and Game Management Areas
(GMAs). The subsector has a number of activities
including hunting safaris, ecotourism, game ranch-
ing, and photographic safaris. Zambia is the pioneer
of walking safaris because of its natural beauty and
scenery, featuring spectacular bird watching and
trade in wild flora and fauna through the Convention
in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES). Through GMAs, which are
co-managed with the Community Resources Board
(CRBs), Zambia’s Wildlife and natural resources are
preserved, conserved, and managed alongside local
communities and under the patronage of traditional
leaders.
The community-based approach to natural resources
management has helped to secure Zambia’s wild-
life, ensure the sustainable management of wildlife
resources, and help to generate income and em-
ployment opportunities in Zambia’s rural areas. This
has stimulated economic development and helped
reduce poverty significantly. The Ministry of Tourism
ZAWA is also looking to promote new approaches to
wildlife management, which will subsequently help to
promote further investment. These new approaches
include the relocation of wildlife surplus to depleted
areas, promoting the sale of live animals, and conced-
ing specific blocks of land within National Parks.
Cul
tural
Tourism and Heritag
e
Traditional ceremonies occur in Zambia year-round.
These offer incredible, authentic cultural experiences
to visitors. The National Heritage Conservation Com-
mission and the National Museums Board look after
the conservation and protection of relics of archaeo-
logical, aesthetic, or scientific interest as well as heri-
tage sites. The sites and structures include rock art
sites, traditional shrines, burial sites, and over 7,000
historical and architectural sites, including historic
buildings, monuments, and ruins. Over 40 waterfalls
expose visitors to incredible natural beauty, and pro-
vide opportunities to explore over 30 fresh water re-
sources.
Community
-based tourism
Zambia pioneered the development and empower-
ment of local communities through Community Based
Natural Resources Management (CBNRM), which
focuses primarily on the management of wildlife re-
source through the Administrative Management De-
sign (ADMADE) in the South Luangwa National Park
area. Other community tourism activities, including
community trust initiatives, have also been explored in
the recent past. Investors are encouraged to partner
with local communities.
