Government says it is committed to implementing the Zambia Green, Resilient and Transformational Tourism Development Project (GREAT- TDP) with funding from the World Bank.
Western Province Permanent Secretary, Simomo Akapelwa says the project intends to support the tourism industry to provide infrastructure development, policies for investment opportunities around tourism sites and support to surrounding communities.
Mr Akapelwa says that the project will be implemented in three main places namely Kasaba Bay, Liuwa National Park as well as the source of Zambezi River and the surrounding areas.
He said this when he graced a stakeholders engagement meeting on the environment, social standards and matching grant facility under the Zambia Green, Resilient and Transformational Tourism Development Project (GREAT- TDP).
”Ladies and gentlemen, the project seeks to provide support towards tourism development through a holistic and integrated approach to include enabling infrastructure development, policy to unlock opportunities for investment, management for habitant and support to surrounding communities,” Mr Akapelwa said.
The project’s mandate is in line with the Eighth National Development Plan (8th NDP) which sets out the Zambia’s strategic direction in terms of development priorities and implementation strategies.
GREAT- TDP Project Coordinator, Chilala Habasimbi disclosed that the seven years project is being implement with support from the World Bank at the cost of one hundred million United States dollars.
“The being run by the Ministry of Tourism will enhance the enabling environment, bring in infrastructure that is climate resilient and support communities to participate in the major based economy in the merging destinations formed.
“The merging destination areas are three and they include Kasaba Bay, Liuwa National Park and the source Zambezi River and surrounding areas”, Ms Habasimbi said.
The project also includes community participation, raising awareness of the project environmental and social risks, collection of feedback from communities as well as enhancing accountability and transparency among others.
