August 2004

TCZ to host 1st Private Sector Tourism Forum

ZNTB approves 11 new projects

The Board approved 11 new projects during the 58^th Development and Technical Committee Meeting held on Tuesday 27^th July 2004. The new projects include two car hire, four accommodation, three tour operations and two travel agencies. The projects have a total pledged investment of US$922, 707 and will create an additional 129 jobs. The new accommodation establishments will add 27 new rooms to the total bed capacity. During the same meeting, 11 operations were normalized.

The Northern Rhodesia Police Association (NRPA) will be coming to Zambia for the 40^th independence anniversary celebrations. The NRPA chairman Mr John Coates says his association members are expected to be in Zambia from the 23^rd August to 2^nd September 2004. A preliminary program indicates that a Retreat ceremony will be held on 31^st August 2004 at the Lilayi Training college and a Reunion dinner at which the NRPA is expected to donate instruments to the Zambian Police Band such as cymbals, euphoniums and tenor horns.The NRPA is an association of former police officers who served in Zambia during the colonial rule and the average age of most of its members is about 70 years. The party coming to Zambia will consist of 100 people including children and grand children wanting to see where their parents and grandparents lived and worked.

 At a heavily contested Miss Tourism World Zambia Pageant held on 31^st July 2004 at the Hotel Intercontinental, Ms Mofya Chisenga walked away with the prestigious title. Mofya takes over from Caroline Makasa who was also convenor of the pageant. The finals are expected to be held in December 2004 at a venue to be announced later by the Miss Tourism  World.

• Ana Tree Lodge was recently opened in Lower Zambezi national park. For further details contact: anatreelodge@zamnet.zm    or visit www.anatreelodge.com

• Nyati Safari Lodge also in Lower Zambezi national park. For details contact: 2RZWILD@bushmail.net

 The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) will hold its 3^rd conference in Lusaka from 6^th to 11^th February 2005 at the Hotel Intercontinental. The theme of the conference will be ‘Tourism: Pathway to a Prosperous Africa` and will aim to develop a 21^st century vision for African tourism. The conference is expected to be opened by His Excellency the President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC. The Key note speaker will be Zambia’s first Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda. The host IIPT Secretariat and Organising Committee has been set up at the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources and will be headed by the Director of Tourism Development Mrs Justina Wake.

Having recently launched the Visit Zambia 2005 campaign, ZNTB held a tourism marketing workshop last month from 28^th to 29^th July 2004. The workshop which was instructed by two marketing and strategy directors from the Wales Tourism Board was aimed to enhance the tourism marketing skills of the participants who were drawn from both the public and private sectors.

Senior Chief Munokalya Mukuni held a community tourism fair on the 1^st and 2^nd August 2004 in Mukuni Village. The fair embraced cultural entertainment and community sensitisation on the value of tourism. The ZNTB Board Chairman Mr Errol Hickey officiated at the event. 

 The Zambia National Tourist Board managing director Ms Chanda Lumpa last month toured the Northern and Luapula Provinces to explore the untapped tourism potential in both areas. The tour was undertaken jointly with the World Bank and the Resident Representative Dr Ohene Nyanin. Dr Nyanin believes that Zambia is blessed with vast beautiful natural tourist attractions which could boost the tourism activity once developed. The places visited during the tour include Kasanka National park, waterfalls, the Manor house, kapisha hot springs and Mutinondo wilderness.

 A group of American doctors with their spouses are currently in Livingstone on tour of the Victoria Falls and other tourist sites. The group consisting of 94 members made financial and material donations to Mukuni village. The money donated was K2.3 million and school books worth K1 million. The Doctors have pledged to continue supporting the village through ZNTB upon their return to the USA.

Traditional Ceremonies coming up

• Likumbi Lya Mize Traditional ceremony of the Luvale People of North Western Province will be held from the 26^th to 28^th August 2004 at Mize in Zambezi.

• Kulamba traditional ceremony of the Chewa people of Eastern Province will be held from 27^th to 28^th August 2004 at Mukaika Village in Katete.

• Chibwela Ku Mushi ceremony of the Soli people of Chief Bunda Bunda of Bunda Bunda Village in Chongwe District will take place from 27^th to 29^th August 2004.

•  Ukusefya Pa Ng’wena ceremony of the Bemba people of Kasama will be held during the 3^rd weekend of August 2004.