OLIVER SAMBOKO writes
@SunZambian
A local holiday planner says tourism sector operators along the Lake Kariba basin should come up with concerted and workable marketing strategies to make the area one of the best destinations in the SADC region.
Siavonga-based Rose Musonda observed that the recent revelations that some South African tour operators were portraying the Victoria Falls as being located in that country should act as a wake-up call for the local players to find new ways of marketing our area.
She said that South Africa was benefiting more from the Victoria Falls in terms of tourists’ arrivals because some tourists coming from Europe and other destinations were under the wrong impression that the falls is in that country.
‘’Zambia and Zimbabwe is not fully benefiting from the Victoria Falls as some tourists are under the impression that the falls is located in South Africa so instead of traveling to Zambia or Zimbabwe, the end up staying in that country thereby denying us the much needed revenue,” she said.
Musonda called on both local and international media to desist from portraying Lake Kariba as crocodile infested, as the negative reporting was contributing to the low numbers of tourists visiting the area.
‘’Same with lake Kariba, South African tour operators are portraying it as crocodile infested and dangerous. I blame the local media because they haven’t done enough to counter the bad publicity perpetrated by South Africans on our tourist attractions,” she said.
She also said there is need for the country to come up with deliberate strategies to help grow the tourism sector by portraying tourists destinations as better places worth visiting as opposed to what is
