KALONDE NYATI, Lusaka
ZAMBIA Tourism Board (ZTB) anticipates over one million tourist this year after the removal of the yellow fever certification for visitors coming into the country via South Africa.
The increase in tourist arrivals will also be enhanced by the soon-to-be introduced online visa application system in the country.
ZTB managing director Felix Chaila said the yellow fever requirement by South Africa had for a long time affected tourist arrivals into Zambia as many tourists perceived the country as a yellow fever-prone country and obtaining yellow fever certification proved to be a cumbersome process.
This requirement other cumbersome travel procedure was discouraging tourists from coming to Zambia and, instead, opted to go neighbouring countries.
Mr Chaila also said plans to introduce the online visa application system by the Department of Immigration will ease the application process, unlike the current procedure which is deemed to be rigid.
“In some countries tourists apply for visas in the comfort of their homes and sometimes visas are processed with a day. Zambia is, therefore, reforming its visa regime to enable tourists apply for visas online like in the case of Botswana and Zimbabwe,” Mr Chaila said in an interview on Monday.
The country recorded less than one million tourists in 2013 while last year’s tourist inflows are still being complied.
He said increasing the number of tourists as well as stimulating domestic tourism will boost the country’s revenue.
Mr Chaila also said a vibrant airline industry will boost the growth of tourism in the country.
“Nothing can happen in international tourism if there is no good airline connectivity. The coming of FastJet will boost tourism as they will offer affordable airfares and other international airlines have indicated plans to enter the Zambian market,” he said.