By Francis Chipalo
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Prudence Chinama Kangwa has called on the media to aggressively market the Samfya Tourism Sports Festival, saying it has what it takes to become a major international tourism attraction.
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Kangwa said the festival remains largely unknown despite Samfya’s beaches being famous, a situation that is limiting its ability to draw visitors from beyond the province.
She was speaking in Samfya during this year’s edition of the festival.
“The beauty of Samfya’s beaches is well known, but little is known about the annual Tourism Sports Festival. We need the media to help us publicise and market this event on both traditional and social media,” she said.
Kangwa said Samfya is more than a tourist destination, describing it as an economic hub with potential to drive job creation, entrepreneurship and local business growth.
She said changing the development story of the Bangweulu area will depend on turning Lake Bangweulu into a world-class destination backed by better infrastructure and more investment.
And Ministry of Tourism Director of Tourism Dr. Andrew Chilufya described the Northern Tourism Circuit as one of Zambia’s biggest tourism assets, with potential that can be unlocked through investment, diversified products and stronger partnerships.
Dr. Chilufya said the Samfya festival can grow from a provincial showcase into Luapula’s flagship international tourism event, contributing to national revenue and economic growth.
He challenged partners to be more intentional about expanding the festival’s appeal by introducing more sporting disciplines and food tourism experiences.
Dr. Chilufya urged the media and tourism stakeholders to jointly develop a strategic communication plan to boost the festival’s visibility locally and internationally.
He said the growth of the festival will have spillover benefits for hospitality, transport, trade and infrastructure sectors, adding that as Zambia targets five million international tourist arrivals by 2031, the Samfya Tourism Sports Festival will play a key role in advancing the national tourism agenda and the Grow Zambia agenda.
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