In efforts to promote tourism and boost the economy, Zambia’s government has waived visa requirements for 53 countries.
This announcement was made by the Home Affairs Minister, Jack Mwiimbu during a press conference at Lusaka today. According to him, this waiver is necessary to stimulate tourism in Zambia. He explained that the policy was implemented through Statutory Instrument Number 78 of 2024.
While responding to a query about the effective date, the Home Affairs Minister said the waiver will take effect from January 2025. Mr. Mwiimbu highlighted the impact of this waiver, which takes the number of affected countries to 167. According to him, it will reduce restrictions on tourists who plan to come to Zambia. Ultimately, this leads to the attraction of foreign investment into the country, boosting its economy.
The news has been received with excitement by various stakeholders in the Zambian tourism sector. For example, Zambian Tourism Agency Chief Executive Officer, Matongo Matamwandi, commended the government for this initiative. According to him, this initiative is expected to bring more than two million tourists in the country who will be registered by the end of 2024.
Mr. Matamwandi, while speaking to the press, was unequivocal about his confidence about the expected surge in new arrivals. He stated that the number of tourist arrivals in Zambia as of November 2024 was 1.9 million. Therefore, he asserted his confidence that more than 100,000 tourists will register their interest in visiting the country by the end of the year, increasing the number to over two million.
This news comes as a relief and incentive for tourists hoping to explore the rich culture and beautiful landscape of Zambia across the world. Consequently, a good number of tourism enthusiasts are expected to travel to Zambia in 2025.