By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
THE Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) has said the launch of Kavango Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA) Univisa between Zambia and Zimbabwe will help to grow the tourism industry in the two countries.
The move will increase the number of tourist  arrivals in the two countries. TCZ chairperson Felix Mulenga said that Zambia stands to benefit more from Zimbabwe in terms of international arrivals.
“The efforts being made by Zimbabwe to attract more arrivals in the country will benefit Zambia and vis-versa,” he said.
He said this was so because Zimbabwe currently records more tourist arrivals compared to Zambia meaning that the later would benefit more.
The KAZA Univisa is a common tourist visa for the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region which is being piloted by Zambia and Zimbabwe for six months.
After the pilot period, the Univisa is intended to be rolled out to three other countries in the KAZA region namely Angola, Botswana and Namibia.
Mr Mulenga said the council anticipated that more countries in the SADC region would come on board to join in the Univisa initiative at the later phase.
The KAZA Univisa would allow tourist to be in the region for 30 days as long as they remain in Zimbabwe and Zambia and could cross into Zimbabwe/Zambia as frequently as they like within the 30-day period.
He said visa requirement had been one of the impediments to travellers; hence the launch of the Univisa would make it easier for them to visit the two countries