Safeguard new structures, L/stone

THE business community in Livingstone has been urged to help Government to safeguard the various infrastructure put up in the tourist capital for the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly held last month.

Livingstone City in Zambia and Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe co-hosted the UNWTO General Assembly from August 24 to August 29.

Several infrastructure such as roads, Maramba Cultural Village, public lavatories, Victoria Falls curio market, a taxi rank, as well as a new terminal building at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport were constructed and upgraded to prepare for the event.

Other roads and infrastructure like the modern town centre market and an international bus terminal were still under construction in the city.

Former Livingstone Tourism Association  chairperson Kingsley Lilamono said tour operators and other members of the business community should help the Government safeguard the infrastructure.

Mr Lilamono, who runs Limbo Lodge in town, said in an interview that the Government and Livingstone City Council had already done their part to establish the various infrastructure and that the business community should help to take good care of them.

“Livingstone has become one of the cleanest towns in Zambia and it is now a truly tourist capital.

“Tour operators and other members of the business community operating in Livingstone should partner with the Government to maintain cleanliness in the city,” he said.

He said a number of trees had been planted to beautify the city and that it was important that operators supplemented the council’s efforts in sustaining the plants.

Mr Lilamono said Government funding had reduced after the UNWTO conference, hence residents should take ownership of the projects.

He said the infrastructure would largely benefit the private sector as more tourists and other investors would be attracted to the tourist capital.

Mr Lilamono said the massive gains recorded in the city may be reversed if the private sector did not take an active role to safeguard the infrastructure.