Zambia's tourism capital gets R19m boost

ZAMBIA has received a US$1,7 million (about R19m) grant from the World Bank to develop the southern city of Livingstone into the country's tourism capital. The grant was awarded after Zambia's central government pledged 'equity' funds from its own coffers to upgrade roads, airport and other public infrastructure in Livingstone. The World Bank grant will be used to establish a local tourism training institute, as well as conduct feasibility studies for commercialisation of the nearby Kafue National Park, various sites on the Lower Zambezi River, and two small undeveloped Luangwa national parks. Zambian tourism planning director Justina Wake said the World Bank funding would run until 2005, and formed the first of a planned series of tourism development pilot projects in Zambia. Other projects include the creation of small-scale tourism enterprise funds for rural communities, as well as new marketing campaigns for a proposed safari and adventure tourism circuit around Livingstone. (African Eye News Service)