By Jane Chanda
Zambia’s Ambassador to Germany Winnie Chibesakunda says Zambia aims to attract 2.4 million international tourists in 2025, and boost domestic tourism by 30 percent with easier travel and visa-free entry to 167 countries.
According to a statement, Chibesakunda was speaking during the ‘Destination Zambia Presentation meeting’, held on the sidelines of the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin last week.
She said the government could not achieve the tourism growth vision alone but through partnerships with travel agencies, airlines, hoteliers, tour operators and other stakeholders, a thriving tourism ecosystem could be created.
Chibesakunda stated that tourism was a vital pillar of Zambia’s development strategy, with potential to create jobs, empower communities and contribute to sustainable development.
She noted that the country made significant progress in meeting its tourism targets, with 2.2 million tourist arrivals in 2024, representing a 35.3 percent increase from 2023.
Chibesakunda attributed the progress to the Tourism Ministry’s commitment to promoting Zambia as a premier travel destination.
She also credited the unwavering support of President Hakainde Hichilema and increased budgetary allocations for the sector’s growth.
Chibesakunda further expressed happiness that visits to national parks, museums and heritage sites grew to 530,000 in 2024, reflecting a 9 percent increase and emphasised the importance of elevating the experience of domestic travelers, in addition to attracting international tourists.
She further reiterated that Zambia was focused on not only attracting international tourists but also enhancing the experience of domestic travelers.
