President Edgar Lungu says Zambia has tremendous tourism potential which if fully exploited will contribute even more to the country’s economic growth.
The Head of State also says hospitality industry contributes to the economy as a foreign exchange earner, balance of payments and generating revenue for the treasury.
He said this when he inaugurated the Neelkanth Sarovar Premiere, Lusaka, an all-suite hotel, which the president said is the first of its kind in the country.
President Lungu said the opening of the hotel is a clear example of private sector contribution towards the fulfilment of government’s tourism policy, and in achieving our vision 2030.
He says as government continues to create an enabling business environment, it is expected that the private sector will rise to the challenge to contribute fully towards the achievement of the national objectives.
“As a peaceful, land-linked country, Zambia has a well established reputation of hospitable and friendly people, a rare trait we must all utilize to advance new investments in the hospitality industry. As you can appreciate, this industry depends on peace and stability, a very delicate commodity which luckily we have in abundance here in Zambia,” he said.
The president said the private sector response to the friendly business operating environment is clear defeat for doomsayers who hell-bent on undermining investor confidence in the economy.
He emphasized that investors from different countries are welcome to invest in the country.
“Here we are, investors from Tanzania have put up this wonderful investment, which created 200 direct jobs and supporting other supply chains. We aspire to build a strong and dynamic industrialised nation, which provides opportunities for the well-being of all our people,” said the president.
The Head of State says he is determined to improve on the resolve to create an operating business environment that embodies values of socio-economic justice.
President Lungu says as stipulated in the Seventh National Development Plan, tourism is one of the country’s economic growth sectors, which directly and indirectly provides significant employment opportunities.
He states that it is for this reason that government reclassified tourism from a social to an economic sector.