Aerial view of Victoria Falls
ZAMBIA Tourism organised its maiden roadshow in India last week in the cities of Mumbai and New Delhi, on the back of a 30 per cent surge in Indian arrivals recorded last year over 2014, which had 25,000 Indian visitors.
The NTO entered the Indian market three years ago with the appointment of Blue Square Consultants as local representatives, but it is now looking to boost efforts.
“We have earlier participated in trade fairs in India. However, these roadshows mark the beginning of our aggressive approach to increase tourist arrivals from India, our fastest growing market in Asia. We are keen to grow the number of leisure and incentive tourists from India,” said Felix Chaila, CEO, Zambia Tourism.
“Our aim is to organise at least two to three roadshows annually starting next year and reach out to more cities. Zambia is one of Africa’s friendliest and safest countries with unique tourism products and a happening nightlife. This is the message we want to spread through our trade partners,” added Chaila.
The NTO is also coming in strong at a time when the main barriers for entry have been lifted.
Chaila explained: “Our interaction with trade partners in the past revealed that the requirement for yellow fever vaccination and a cumbersome visa application process were (the two main impediments) for India’s leisure tourists.
“Both of these concerns have been addressed as yellow fever vaccination is now not required to visit Zambia and visa processing time (has now been reduced from three weeks to three days).”
