The River Flows On

WRITER: EMMA WOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: EMMA WOOD

itting on the banks of the Kafue River my metaphorical musings brought me to this thought: that as much as humans have had to adapt, rethink and modify their behaviour through millennia, decades and very specifically, recent months, rivers too have been forced to change their course over time. They don’t just stop. They will adapt their route, meander around tougher terrain and cut through weaker rock…but they always continue onwards.

Tourism is just one of the many industries around the globe that has been severely affected by this present pandemic, but in Zambia tourism is critical. It is not only a significant and immediate source of revenue for the country, but it is also a key component in the conservation of our natural resources for future generations. Remarkably, despite negligible international visitor arrivals into Zambia this year, we can see that our tour operators are not stopping. They, like our rivers, are adapting as best as they can in order to continue onwards.

Ian Stephenson, CEO of Conservation Lower Zambezi, explains. ‘For those of us in conservation it is a challenging time. We are facing a double-edged sword. With reduced tourism comes lower revenue for our valiant law enforcement officers and DNPW (Department of National Parks and Wildlife) rangers. Yet it is at times of hardship like these, where people have few options and need to feed their families that they may turn to criminality and poaching despite the increase in successful prosecutions. We need domestic tourism more than ever to help us support our wildlife protection efforts which in turn sustain the local communities.’

Over one million international visitors alone spent an estimated ZMK8 billion representing over eight per cent of the total Zambian exports. Travel and tourism was Zambia’s fastest-growing economic sector, contributing approximately ZMK20 billion in revenue and 400,000 jobs to the national economy while posting more than +6% GDP*, making it the fastest and most bullish sector in the country...until this year.

Vincent Kouwenhoven of Green Safaris has this to say. ‘We are all about travelling with a purpose and being able to contribute to conservation and community development. We are proud that we’ve

always enjoyed a mix of local and international guests, and had their engagement with what we are trying to achieve. Now we endeavour to encourage more domestic tourism, as we must keep our team engaged in a broad variety of conservation and community development projects. This was and has always been our core mission, but of course we need the revenue to sustain this. As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold, it is how we choose to face the challenges that will define our future. The actions we’ve taken, we believe, will reconfigure the legacy for our people and planet. As a family with family our empathy and shared sense of hope will continue to drive our efforts to ensure a safe environment for all who engage with us.’

Luckily, we—yes, that includes you there, reading this magazine while you wait for your coffee—are in a position to help. I debated over several weeks the wisdom of travelling from our highly populated cities out to the rural areas. I discussed with friends, businesses, conservationists and family dotted around the world. The answer was simply that the consequences of zero tourism—for the rural communities and wildlife—are simply devastating. So, my friend, with this hard fact in mind, I packed up my car and hit the road to Ila Lodge in the Kafue.

Of course, on arrival, we are more than pleasantly surprised with the welcome and the safety measures that have been employed: social distancing, sanitising and an adapted way of operating without diminishing service levels while still experiencing a superb safari.

Betty Chabala of Zambian Tourism Agency remarks, ‘In demonstrating the government’s commitment to this sector, His Excellency the President Mr. Edgar C. Lungu opened up all international airports for tourism and business purposes. On the other hand, the Zambia Tourism Agency will concentrate on promoting domestic travel by coming up with local incentives. This can be done by engaging operators to give attractive rates for locals and residents alike. We believe that in times such as these, domestic tourism has the potential to sustain the sector until the complete eradication of the pandemic.’

There’s so much space in the bush so it’s quite difficult to be less than two metres apart from another human being. However, everything is wiped down constantly—the game vehicles, the sun loungers, the tables and the bar. The lodges have employed hygiene training for the protection of staff and guests; temperature screening and staff monitoring; smart online check-ins and check-outs; the provision of accredited hospital-grade disinfectant; easily accessible sanitisation stations; no-touch menus (point at the chalk board), plus a frequent deep cleaning protocol—all elementary but effective safety measures.

The chalets are spread in a long line on the riverbank and there’s no sharing of bathrooms or corridors. There’s clean fresh air, wide-open spaces and reduced guest numbers—with the exception of the occasional trumpeting lunch guest, for whom you employ a whole other level of distancing!

So if you can, jump in your car, get on the bus, use our airports and see the Lower Zambezi, experience Livingstone and the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, have a picnic in Lusaka National Park, explore South Luangwa, watch the migrations in Kasanka and Liuwa— these are all incredible destinations. Go! Support our tourism, the businesses, the employees, the families and communities whose livelihoods depend on providing us a very pleasant sojourn.

Zambian lodges and campsites are trying their best to offer significantly discounted rates for long stays, last-minute bookings or mid-week specials. They need our business and quite frankly it is no hardship to settle into a luxury lodge for a few days in the name of patriotism.

So just as our rivers do and our tour operators are doing—continue on. Don’t stay at home; instead adapt your travel, change course slightly. Zambia is a big, bold, beautiful country. Let us not wait to explore it—because Zambia needs you now. ■

*(World Travel and Tourism Council Annual Review 2018): https://www.eturbonews.com/247934/ wttc-travel-and-tourism-is-zambias-2018-fastestgrowing-national-economic-sector/