Govt courts UN for Tourism growth

GOVERNMENT has called for support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) towards the tourism sector in the post Covid-19 recovery process.

Tourism and Arts Permanent Secretary, Auxilia Ponga, said Government had crafted a comprehensive plan of developing a linkage between the Southern and Northern Tourism Circuit to increase the length of stay for visiting tourists.

Dr Ponga said this during a meeting in Lusaka yesterday when UNDP Country Representative, Lionel Laurens paid a courtesy on her.

She said with the support of cooperating partners, the Ministry would develop and actualise the much-needed infrastructure for product development.

Dr Ponga said Tourism was labour intensive and if well supported, could create a greater potential for youth employment and poverty alleviation.

And Mr Laurens said UNDP was ready to offer the much-needed technical support as most tourism activities were in line with his organisation’s mandate.

He said his organisation has a huge interest in poverty alleviation for youth and women, and that if these get jobs in the tourism sector, would mark positive development.

M. Laurens said there was need to develop tourism products and learn from from other countries in the region.

He called from collaboration between Zambia and other countries in the region so that benefits from regional tourism could be realised.