ZAMBIA Tourism Board (ZTB) says it has started diversifying its marketing strategies to tap the growing market like India and other Asian countries.

ZTB managing director Felix Chaila said Zambia has been receiving tourists from India but they come through South Africa as add-ons to view the Victoria Falls.

“Three years ago, ZTB ventured into various strategies to tap the Indian market after noticing that most tourists from Indian and other Asian countries come to Zambia on an add-on basis, to see the Victoria Falls. The visit of the Indian team today is as a result of what we started three years ago,” Mr Chaila said.

Mr Chaila was speaking when he hosted a dinner in honour of a team of Indian Destination Marketing Companies (DMCs) locally known as tour operators in Lusaka on Friday.
He said Zambia needs to be marketed beyond the continent because of its peaceful environment and the country being declared yellow fever-free.

Delegation leader Heena Munshaw said Zambia’s popularity in India and beyond is now growing.

“We knew about Zambia through South Africa and because of the Victoria Falls, but now, the story is slowly changing. Zambia is now on the world map. Once we go back to India, we will be able to tell the transformation story of what we will see during our tour here,” Ms Munshaw said.
Ms Munshaw, who is also managing director of Beacon Holidays in Mumbai, said the world perception about Zambia must change.

“Zambia is known to be a small place housing part of the Victoria Falls, but what we have seen here is amazing. Zambia has a lot to offer to tourists and is one of Africa’s best destinations because of the peace and the fact that it is disease-free,” Ms Munshaw said.

The team is in the country to sample what Zambia has. During its visit, the team will visit Livingstone, Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa.

This article was written by Doreen Nawa and originally published in the Zambia Daily Mail