Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Charles Banda
Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda says the transformation of the Zambia Wildlife Authority into the Department of National Parks and Wildlife has started yielding positive results including the improvement in revenue collection.
Mr Banda has told Parliament in a ministerial statement that as at December 2016, revenue from non consumptive tourism activities in the national parks amounted to seventy seven million, sixty nine thousand, four hundred and sixty four, thirty eight ngwee (K77,069,464,38), compared to K54,722,410 in 2015.
He says this was generated from activities in the national parks such as photographic safaris, entry fee, concession fees and levies.
Mr Banda says the total revenue in 2016 represents an increase of about 26% from that of 2015.
He however, states that out of the 20 national parks in the country, only four are significantly contributing revenue to the treasury namely the South Luangwa, Mosi-o-tunya,Lower Zambezi and the Kafue national parks.
Mr Banda adds that the transformation has also resulted in officers managing the wildlife resource getting their salaries every month unlike the situation under the former Zambia Wildlife Authority which had problems of raising funds for salaries.