By RABECCA CHIPANTA –
THE Zambian Mission in France says it is currently issuing more than 50 visas per week compared to the same period in previous years.
Zambia’s Ambassador to France and permanent representative to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Humphrey Chibanda said in the past, issuance of visas per week ranged from five to 10 per week and the increase to 50 signified efforts the mission was making to market Zambia as a tourist destination of choice by French citizens.
Mr Chibanda said the country’s tourism industry was on the right course and projected an increase in tourist inflows into the country.
This is contained in a statement made available by Press secretary at the Zambian Mission in France Yande Musonda.
He said the Mission in Paris had mounted a robust and innovative marketing campaign to promote the country as a preferred tourist destination for the French and Spaniards.
Mr Chibanda said there had been tremendous increase in the number of French tourists travelling to Zambia for business and leisure.
“The Mission has been monitoring visitors to Zambia through the issuance of visas, and despite French citizens having the privilege of obtaining visas at ports of entry, the Mission, since the beginning of 2017 summer holiday, has witnessed an upward trend in the number of French visitors to Zambia,” he said.
Mr Chibanda commended President Edgar Lungu for the transformative economic development agenda that had placed tourism as the third-most important economic sector in the country.