- Transformational Tourism development project identifies key areas for development
MARGARET CHISANGA
Ndola
ZAMBIA’S natural assets — its wildlife, forests, rivers, and landscapes — are among the most valuable on the African continent and this wealth should be transformed into real, bankable economic opportunities for investors and communities nationwide.
This process of transformation is being delivered through the USD100 million ‘The Green Resilient and Transformational Tourism Development Project’ (GREAT-TDP), a project under the Ministry of Tourism.
During a presentation in Ndola at the 2026 International Trade Fair in Ndola, GREAT-TDP Head of Communications, Sylvia Kapungwe, shared that the GREAT-TDP is a USD100 million World Bank investment that operates across all provinces of Zambia.
“The different ways through which the investments are made accessible include Marching grants, Infrastructure development and Market Growth and promotion.
Through Marching grants, the GREAT-TDP provides financial support for nature-based businesses, CBEs, and tourism MSMEs across all provinces.
Through Infrastructure development, the project is operating to unlock remote destinations and upgrading gateway towns for tourism investment.
This is already operational in the Tourism Capital, Livingstone through the Livingstone Town Centre Development Programme which involves includes road rehabilitation, installation of solar streetlights, cycle lane planning, and regeneration of public spaces aimed at improving the city’s tourism competitiveness.
The programme also includes the rehabilitation and upgrading to bituminous standard of approximately 8.31 km of selected city centre roads.
Through the Market Growth and promotion cluster, the project focuses on the expansion of domestic and international visitor markets to grow the tourism economy.
Activities include providing Technical Assistance to MSMEs to enable them strengthen competitiveness, investment readiness & compliance standards.
Through the same project, Zambia recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UN Tourism to Strengthen collection of Tourism Statistics.
The landmark partnership will strengthen tourism statistics, enhance institutional capacity, modernise tourism data systems, and enable Zambia to accurately measure tourism’s contribution to the national economy.
The Agreement was signed by Permanent Secretary, Mr Evans Muhanga, and on behalf of UN Tourism by Secretary-General Ms. Shaikha Al Nowais.
Ms Kapungwe invited nature-based businesses, and tourism MSMEs to visit the stand and learn more about GREAT-TDP and how it is driving sustainable tourism by improving tourism infrastructure, strengthening destination management and empowering communities to benefit from Zambia’s growing tourism sector.
“The project is aimed at strengthening the enabling environment, improve access to resilient infrastructure in selected tourism development areas and enhance economic opportunities in tourism destinations in Zambia,” she said.
