Learning From Neighbors
How does Botswana succeed in tourism while Zambia does not?
While I was sitting at the beautiful Wilderness Safari Lodge, I couldn’t help but compare Botswana and Zambia tourism. Zambia does not have the Okavango, but it has other beautiful areas, which are totally under-utilized. South and North Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, and the northern section of Kafue National Parks are doing okay. Operators in those areas will complain that it is tough, though. Most of the operators live and work in these areas because they love the lifestyle, though, not because they are making lots of money. On the other hand, Wilderness Safaris in Botswana is making money; it is making money so that it can expand and develop into more and more areas in Africa.
Around the Southern Province, there are easily accessible parks and wildlife areas. The southern section of Kafue (with one lodge), Sioma Ngwezi (with no lodge and no infrastructure), Lochinvar (with no lodge and a dying lechwe population), should be providing an income for the government and employment for the people. Why don’t they?
Costs are too high and bureaucracy is overwhelming. When looking at a map of the Sioma Ngwezi Park, ZAWA had divided the park up into about 5 sections and expected investors to come in and develop the park at vast expense. ZAWA should be paying an investor to come in and sort out the mess they have made of the park through negligence.
Lochinvar, one of the world’s richest bird areas still lies in ruins. World Bank came in and gave it some new roads, but the campsite is derelict. One company came in a few years ago to run a lodge, but they left. I wonder why they left and why no one else has come in?
There is something seriously wrong with the way tourism is attempted to be developed in Zambia. Maybe a look at the Botswana model will show how that country does it; how the government now receives an income from tourism, which is second to its income from diamonds.
Comments
Zambia is simply too expensive compared to similar camps in Botswana!
The relatively new Sanctuary camps came up to almost 1000US$pppd last year. Even Chuma and Sussi are faar too expensive in a market which is still somehow to gain momentum within the safari circuit.
Also the South Luangwa NP which is promoted as Leopard country - hasn't got a lot of cats. Searching for big cats can be quite exhausting without getting any sighting!
The same at LZNP.
Hunting at the Game Management areas surrounding the NP is taking its toll! Particularly at the big cats and elephants!
The more the Chinese are involved in road maintenance within parks the more the poaching increases!
Zambia - always compared to Botswana - is far too expensive as it also lacks the "luxury" image Botswana has got. Therefore people are reluctant to pay a fortune for a less branded destination.
Additionally many of the prime safari areas are Tsetse infested which keeps tourists away.
I would say Zambia has got a problem to really get the safari tourism going.
Have you been in this "beautiful" areas? Maybe it has something to do with the lack of game?
Beside this, Busanga Plains were much more enjoyable without the plunge pools and noisy helicopters of Wilderness Safaris. I hope that such kind of "Disney World" operators would stay out of Zambia.
Zambian bureaucrats do not understand the value of tourism or they don't care. After being on an incredible A&K Safari in Zambia, the experience of departing from the airport in Lusaka made me feel vulnerable and threatened.
After being in the customs queue for nearly an hour at 6:00 AM, several local men simply crashed the line in front of me and my companions. As we got closer to the front, a few more joined them. It was obvious to everyone in line...virtually all tourists. Yes, this can happen in the US, but the difference would be that the "authorities" would back up what was fair and equitable. When I complained to the bureaucrats, I was ridiculed. I've traveled all over the world, this was the first time that I've felt like asking for a courteous response would have landed me in a very bad situation.
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