Tourism – TCZ Calls for Act Review

THE Tourism Council of Zambia (TCZ) has called for the immediate review of the Tourism and Hospitality Act of 2007 to bring it in line with the needs of the local industry and global expectations.

TCZ chairman, Mark O’Donnell said the current Act does not reflect the needs of the tourism industry in a global environment.

“The current understanding and common position for both Government and the private sector is that the Act was formulated through a consultative process.

However, the Act took long to be enacted and when that was done, it seemed that much of the consultative process was not included in the final version,” he explained.

Mr. O’Donnell was speaking in Lusaka when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Environment and Tourism, which was receiving submissions on the regulation of the hospitality industry, rural electrification programme and the management of the Game Management Areas (GMAs).

And Mr. O’Donnell has implored the committee to call key players in the energy sector to ascertain the causes of the high cost of jet fuel in the country.

He reiterated that the TCZ did not understand why the cost of jet fuel had continued to be high in the country when Government had reduced taxes on the commodity.

Mr. O’ Donnell said that jet fuel in the country was double, in comparison to that of South Africa and Kenya where the commodity costs not less than 45 cents a litre.

He said the Parliamentary Committee needed to call players such as Indeni and National Airports Corporation (NAC) to give an explanation on the matter.

The TCZ chairman stressed that the growth of the hospitality industry would continue to be hampered unless the issue of air service was properly addressed.

Mr. O’ Donnell said air service should be accessible and affordable because it offered the best mode of transport.

Meanwhile, the TCZ has urged Government to cancel the introduction of the tourism levy which is in the Act.

Mr. O’Donnell stated that the industry did not need any further levy as it was already over-taxed.

He added that the industry was not given concessions this year compared to other sectors and industries.

TCZ executive director, Josephine Mehl submitted that the country could still review its diminishing culture if there was political will.

She said that the promotion of culture would gain momentum if leaders and parliamentarians set the pace for other stakeholders to follow.