By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
ZAMBIA will take full advantage of the Africa Freedom Day to market itself as the preferred tourist destination at the Seychelles Fete Afrique through joint promotion tourism packages.
The Fete Afrique is an annual event which takes place on the May 24, 2014 to mark the celebration of the Africa Freedom Day.
Zambia Tourism Board (ZTB) managing director Felix Chaila said this was the beginning of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Zambia and Seychelles.
The MoU was signed during the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly in Livingstone last year.
Mr Chaila said Africa was growing at a fast rate, hence the need to take advantage of the opportunities at the Fete Afrique to promote the two countries’ tourist destinations.
Addressing journalists in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Chaila said the agreement had the provision for collaborative actions such as the joint marketing, twin holiday destination concept, exchange of knowledge and cultural exchange and technical support.
Speaking at the same function, Seychelles Tourism Ambassador to Zambia Jamil Din Butt said Zambia and Seychelles would continue to embrace each other through the promotion of the joint tourism package called the Twin Holiday Destination.
Mr Butt said the delegation from Zambia comprising the tour operators and the chef was part of the tourism cultural exchange programme, saying that the Zambian chef would be expected to prepare Zambian foods for 250 guests at the Fete Afrique celebration to mark Africa Freedom Day.
“It is an excellent opportunity for both our countries to show support to each other along the lines of tourism, culture and more importantly supporting our continent.
“It is through relationship like this that we continue to capacity build each other’s destinations and definitely this is the shining example of who we are as Africans and we can have a greater platform on the international scene by working together,” Mr Butt said.
