By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
PROFLIGHT Zambia is set to launch four new domestic routes in 2017, opening up new tourist destinations and improving connectivity for business travellers.
The country’s scheduled airline will relaunch its direct Ndola-Solwezi route in January, along with Ndola-Kasama flights.
A Lusaka-Kalabo service will begin on March 15, 2017 and a direct Mfuwe-Lower Zambezi service between June 15 and October 31, next year.
Proflight director of government and industry affairs Philip Lemba said the new route are intended to help boost domestic and international tourism as well as provide additional convenience for business travellers.
The new routes are intended to help boost domestic and international tourism and  provide additional convenience for business  travellers.
This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka at the weekend.
“The newly-opened routes are gateways to the Western, Northern, Eastern and North-Western provinces for both business and leisure travellers in the country.
“These routes are ideal for accessing business investment, trade, tourism sites, and Zambia’s national parks in the upper Zambezi, Lower Zambezi, Mfuwe and surrounding areas,” Captain Lemba said.
He said connecting business travellers and tourists to the mining areas, business trade points, tourism attraction destinations and provincial district was a commitment the airline has made in order to foster growth.
“The airline cannot create demand on its own, but goes where the demand is. We, as an airline, have done our analyses on the service routes and have seen the potential the routes can bring, in terms of  tourism, passenger flows, revenue and business.
“We aim to make travelling more convenient for our customers, both local and international,” Captain Lemba said.
Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda commended Proflight Zambia for opening new service routes.
Mr Banda said this at the Proflight recent travel industry awards ceremony.
“We as Government are delighted with Proflight Zambia for being a formidable local airline offering domestic and regional scheduled flights to both local and international travellers.
The domestic flights have made it easier for tourists and business travellers to reach the far-flanged areas in Zambia,” he said.
Proflight  Zambia aims to increase business demand and improve customer convenience during the course of 2017.