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EU Says Tourism In Zambia Is Expensive
The European Union has observed that tourism in Zambia is too expensive and that the country risks losing out on tourist inflows.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm news, European Union head of delegation Hervio Gilles says Zambia must reduce the cost of tourism in order to maximize benefits in the sector.
Ambassador Gilles says Zambia’s tourism sector has the potential to become an economic mainstay of the economy on account of its natural resources.
He says it is important for government to address the cost of tourism in order to increase the number of tourists coming into the country.
And Ambassador Gilles has however hailed government%u2019s plans aimed at improving tourism infrastructure adding that Zambia has very beautiful tourism sites.
Posted by
kelvin
September 30, 2012 at 8:59 am
I would like to agree with EU’s obsavtin.ineed its expensiv for an odnaly zambian take a look @ the chagrs for accodaton for hotels in l’stone can civil severt aford tht.for exmple @ Chaminuka lodge just here in lusaka lunch & game viwing per dar k700,000 for One peson hw n
much will i remain with my 1.1 salary
Air Mukwai_
September 30, 2012 at 9:27 am
1.the hotels are damn expensive. a 5-star taj pamodzi hotel has reduced to $192 per night from $225 while a 4.5 star hotel intercontinental is still at $210 per night. the same star hotels in asia are operated at two-third less the rate the zambian hotels charge.
2. improve infrastructure
Pa zed
September 30, 2012 at 11:06 am
It is terribly expensive to visit zambia as a tourist. Flights to zambia are expensive, domestic flights, car hiring, long distances between tourist attractions, accommodation if cheap then standards are poor, high charges at tourist centers e.g. Boat cruise on Zambezi is more than €60 for 2 hours, the big 5 is also more than €60 minus transport, etc. To visit zambia as a European tourist, one needs not less than €5000. So people think twice before they do tourism in zambia.
EM
September 30, 2012 at 2:34 pm
@ Kelvin. To get facts straight Chaminuka charges ZMK275,000.00 per person per day from 9am to 5pm. You add 10% as service charge and 16% VAT if you pay VAT. Note: It is a package which includes a buffet lunch with about 8 to 10 different dishes. Also you are allowed to do a game drive, fishing, boating, bush walks, bird watching and horse riding if you can handle a horse on your own. All this for just this amount!!!!!! You can only get all this at Chaminuka which attracts alot of local clients for this once in a lifetime experience.
NIKITA
September 30, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Very true,hotels are very expensive pa zed and yet no improvement whatsoever.The chrisma hotel in livingstone is just too expensive for nothing!Tourists would rather go to dangerous southafrica where they have very competitive affordable prices and for five star treatment and in actual fact they would rather visit zambia.Ministry of tourism kanshi who is pocketing all the revenue from hotels,lodges guesthouses etc
Mythwale P
September 30, 2012 at 3:31 pm
The reason we are complaining about expensive tourism is because we have stayed out of the fun: Zambians are happy to drink informally and relax in good company (The huge traffic to Kafue -with private coolers is testimony to that).
In addition to that, we hate rules (to us, gatecrashing is the norm!)
In the end, whatever properties we have are focusing on the foreign market as there is no local demand.
We may complain that standards are low, but how do you manage to maintain high standards yet refuse to pay for the services at the right rate? It does not mean if you cannot buy a car then you blame Toyota Zambia for expensive cars: either buy a bicycle, motorbike, or worse still, a wheelburrow!
Gaza
September 30, 2012 at 8:27 pm
It’s true.tourism in Zambia is very expensive .the government has to come in.the main problem is that most of the hotels are being controlled by the south Africans.and these south Africans always campaign against Zambia.do you know that most of the people who come to visit Zambia think that Vic falls is part of south Africa?this is because they have been told by south Africans that Vic falls is in south Africa.in south Africa hotels are very cheap meanwhile when the same south Africans come to Zambia, to run hotels,the praises are not normal.please Zambia do something
The Terminator
October 1, 2012 at 11:30 am
@Mythwale P. Iwe chikala te ma Zambians balelanda waumfwa? It’s the delegation leader from Europe who is saying that the charges are too prohibitive!! Nikwisa ulebelenga kanshi? Yes it’s true the charges in Zambia are higher than our neighbors, period. It could be may be that they are being taxed too highly by the govt as well.. So the issue here should be thrown back at the Ministry of Tourism to look into all this. We difinitely are losing out on this one….
Dorika
October 1, 2012 at 12:54 pm
What expense? Too much game viewing and so on.Me I just peep outside and watch stray dogs.If I want to see animals, there are some wild rats in my neighbor’s yard.Become your own tourist people, do not get screwed.
Badger
October 2, 2012 at 10:16 am
@EM the ads i have seen on chaminuka do not agree with the figure of 275,000 you have given here, what i have seen is in excess of 700,000 as Kelvin @#2 has put it. it’s just too much and some of us move in packs so just for a days visit we need over K4m better ukulatambafye pa Discovery channel
wamududu
October 2, 2012 at 12:13 pm
But why is it that usually its GRZ workshops hosed at these places? thats why they conyinue. GRZ must refrain from hosting evets there to control on the tourism
Jim Walker
October 3, 2012 at 9:56 pm
That’s correct, I’ve been to Zambia and found it very expensive especially hotels, food and transport. Some hotels like Fairview, Lusaka hotel will charge you up to $150 a night for small and filthy rooms, full of cockroaches.
Chiwanangala
October 4, 2012 at 1:55 pm
ndeloleshafye ama comments yama fellaz
Shikopa
October 4, 2012 at 4:18 pm
The Zambian tourism industry needs to grow the low budget facilities. Basic but neat purpose-designed accommodation to host large groups coupled with large variety of cheap food, transport, entertainment, sites, group packages (like a special weekend train from Lusaka to Livingstone) and events. In fact, the tourist capital should never sleep. Right now, there is nothing to do in Livingstone to keep tourists occupied 24hrs a day.
lenny Sabi
October 16, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Zambia just like any other nation has different classes of resort.Sun international eg.in any nation is it targeted to all economic levels?Kruger National park in SA carters for different classes.I believe that is the area of concern. And also fees at point of entry.