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Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata
Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata says Zambia’s hosting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in 2013 has raised the profile of Zambia’s Tourism sector.
Addressing a huge gathering of delegates at the official opening ceremony of the 21st Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Medellin-Colombia, Ms Kapata says tourism is now a key lever of economic diversification and deeper regional integration.
Ms Kapata says the UNIVISA pilot project, initiated by Zambia and Zimbabwe soon after the 2013 General Assembly, has generated increased tourist arrivals to the Victoria Falls and has enhanced bilateral cooperation between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
She has however noted that many tourist destinations around the world continued to face numerous challenges related to Visa facilitation, air connectivity, security threats caused by instability and terrorism, disease outbreaks such as Ebola while massive taxation of the tourism sector continue to affect Destination Competitiveness.
She has called on all member countries to rise to the challenge and create a conducive environment that will facilitate steady growth of the tourism sector.
The Minister has further called for effective participation by all member countries attending the Medellin General Assembly as their respective nations are expecting tangible results from the deliberations.
She says if well harnessed, tourism has the potential to contribute significantly to economic growth, community development and job creation in addition to consolidating partnerships among Governments, private sector and civil society.
Ms Kapata has since thanked the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the Colombian people for the warm welcome and the genuine hospitality of the Colombian people adding that Zambia is particularly delighted because Colombia’s bid to host the 2015 General Assembly was won on Zambian soil.
This is the second time that Colombia is hosting the tourism Indaba, having hosted it earlier in 2007 in the city of Cartagena.
Zambia was on Saturday elected to the Executive Council of the UNWTO amid waves of joy and jubilation among the Zambian delegates as this paves the way for Zambia to have direct representation on the World body and add its voice to the policy direction of the tourism industry.
The Zambian delegation is headed by Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata and includes; Permanent Secretary Stephen Mwansa, Director Tourism Ambassador Albert Mushanga, ZTB Managing Director Felix Chaila, Zambian Ambassador to France Humphrey Chibanda and ZAWA Manager Commercial Services Austin Mwakifwamba.