THE Government has started implementing tourism development projects to open up the sector in line with this year’s budget allocation.
And a high power delegation comprising Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Elijah Muchima, Water development and Sanitation Minister Mike Mposha, Northern Province Minister Leonard Mbao and Western Province Minister Akapelwa Mbangweta are on a tour of tourism sites in Western and North-Western provinces.
Speaking yesterday in Kalabo before touring the Liuwa National Park, Mr. Sikumba said it was time for the Government to work on the challenges of the park and open it up to its full tourism potential.
Mr. Sikumba said despite the national park having abundant Wildlife, the road to the area was in a bad state and that it would be worked on.
“The issue is three phased, we want to open access to Liuwa and we also want to revamp the Kalabo airstrip for it to be linked to the facility,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Finance had allocated funds for the airstrip and other infrastructure works to make all facilities related to tourism were protected.
Mr. Sikumba said plans to connect tourism sites so that tourist could connect from the Victoria Falls to other areas which meant that they would stay longer.
He said th Government had engaged the African Parks to up infrastructure around the game management area so that visitors could have accommodation when they visited the area.
Mr. Sikumba said the park was not fully marketed for local people to benefit and that with a World Bank funding programme, the delegation would check the source of Zambezi River in North-Western Province and Kasaba Bay in Northern Province to see how the tourism sites could be improved in line with President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive to them.
Kalabo District Commissioner Musange Njamba said there was need for a bridge to connect the Liuwa park because people found it difficult to reach the area despite its wildlife attraction.
