• Domestic tourism has performed a bit more than expected.
• There has been growing desire to explore some tourism products.
• The response from the locals so far has been great.
Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) says domestic tourism in the tourist capital has drastically improved.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association Acting Chairperson, Hillary Kashempa noted that there has been a growing desire in the local market to explore some tourism products especially during the Easter holiday.
Mr. Kashempa stated that this is beyond the Association’s earlier expectations because of the Covid-19 pandemic which affected trade not only in the tourism sector but across the country.
“Domestic tourism has performed a bit more than our expectations earlier on because obviously we were hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, which affected trade not only in the tourism industry alone but also it slowed down a number of other businesses across the country.”
“The expectation was that following the loss which was happening from the local market somehow we should have some significant reduction as well but what happened as well as witnessed like during the Easter Eve, that there has been really some good response, we have seen some desire in the local market to explore some products,” Mr. Kashempa said.
He said the Association is hoping that the trend will continue so that the industry can recover from the losses incurred as a result of the pandemic.
“Given the situation I think the locals have outdone themselves and we are still looking for more but I think the response from the locals so far has been great and has been beyond the minimum expectations that we had earlier because of obviously what’s surrounding us,” he stated.
Zambia’s travel and tourism industry, which has shown signs of healthy growth in recent years, was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first two cases of Covid-19 in Zambia were recorded on 18th March, 2020. Thereafter, more cases came up, necessitating Government to act to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Among the restrictions imposed were on the ban of non – essential travel to all Countries and controlled movements of goods and persons across borders