By ANDREW PHIRI –
SUN International Hotels general manager Emmanuelle Moneger has said the delay in clearing Zambia as a yellow fever free nation has greatly affected the flow of tourists into the country.
Ms Moneger said tourists from countries like China were unable to get into Zambia because of not having yellow fever certification and ended up in the neighbouring Zimbabwe and Botswana which were declared yellow fever free zones.
She was optimistic that the authorities dealing with the matter would quickly resolve the problem to enable a peak of tourist arrivals.
Ms Moneger told journalists during a Christmas party for orphans and vulnerable children held in Livingstone yesterday.
“We have continued lobbying Government on yellow fever certification to see how quick this issue can be resolved because it is disadvantaging us. Our friends in Zimbabwe and Botswana are enjoying a good share of tourists because they have been declared yellow fever free zones,” she said.
She said there was need to increase flight connectivity into the country in order to boost tourist arrivals.
She said Sun Hotels was currently working closely with Kenyan Airways which had regular flights to Zambia and Livingstone in particular, to boost tourist arrivals.
And Sun International public relations manager Joyce Sikabuba said it was important for companies investing in Zambia to maintain their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Ms Sikabuba said the hotel had a mandate under its CSR to plough back to the community, hence the hosting of a children’s Christmas party.
She said it was in their budget to plough back into the community through various ways, especially helping orphans and vulnerable children with decent shelter and education.