Table 1: Summary of Issues Discussed in the Panel Discussions and Presentations

What is being done to operationalise Mbala airport in order to develop and grow tourism in the Northern Circuit?

What is being done to address the cost of jet A1 fuel?

• Cost of jet A1 fuel is high or steep due to the component of taxes

• Mbala airport is still in transition from a military to civilian airport and operations will only commence once this process is completed

Factors that contribute to high fuel price have already been identified and Government is already looking into addressing these issues:

• Government has stopped transporting crude oil from Dares-Salaam to Ndola and is now transporting refined diesel or comingled fuel

The Role of the Transport Sector in Re-Positioning

Destination Zambia

• While some tourist products are now fully-developed and matured, others are still underdeveloped and not packaged to improve or enable great tourist experience

• Zambia has 60 waterfalls, but these are not yet packaged as unique competitive tourist products etc

• Implement measures recommended in the Tourism Master Plan which speaks to the diversification of tourism products, connection of tourism circuits etc and relationships between and among various players in the tourism value-chain

• Tourism Master Plan gives impetus to improving connectivity by river or sea, air, road or railway etc

• How does Zambia facilitate the entry of tourists into the country?

• Collaboration between various Government agencies and ministries is essential

• Airports should be considered and treated as the main distribution points

• How is landing time of international flights linked to existing domestic flight schedules to various destinations across the country?

• How should the road network be? Runways at the aerodromes and airports?

• Zambia is not doing well in road infrastructure development due to long periods of lack of maintenance or rehabilitation despite the formulation of the National Transport Master Plan (NTMP)

• Connectivity within and between the various tourism circuits is needed

• Enhanced and improved tourism promotion and marketing is required

• Good transport system and connectivity for a competitive Zambia as an ideal tourism destination is needed

• Effective transport system is critical and essential for improved tourist arrivals in Zambia and a competitive tourism and travel sector