THE Norwegian government has injected over K200 billion to
support the South Luangwa National Park which attracts, annually, more than 30,
000 tourists to Zambia’s premier wildlife tourism destination.
Norwegian Ambassador to Zambia Arve Ofstad said the contribution
to boost the domestic tourism in the park has been made over a period of 27
years.
“Since 1983, we have been working together with Zambia
Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) authorities, local communities and tourism industry
to attract more tourists to the park which has diverse fauna and over 100
animals’ species with 450 species of birds,” Mr Ofstad said.
He said this during the handover of earth moving equipment
and the South Luangwa Area Management Unit (SLAMU) project to Government last
week in Mfuwe.
The SLAMU project has helped to improve the park
administration and management, curb illegal hunting of wild animals such as
elephants and opened up new tourists’ roads in the park, among others.
The project is a multi-million dollar programme that was established
in the Luangwa Valley in 1986. It was initially launched as a pilot project in
Lupande game management area with the aim of integrating local communities to
strike a balance between conservation of wildlife resources and meeting human
needs.
The project has also seen five airfields being constructed
at Kapamba, Luamfwa, Lundu, Chamboo and Kauluzi to facilitate tourism.
Mr Ofstad said Norway has invested in the park because of
importance it attaches to the tourism sector considering that South Luangwa
National Park is one of the largest national game parks in Africa offering
tourists a unique experience of the real wild Africa.
And Tourism and Arts deputy minister Keith Mukata said
culture is the foundation of tourism which attracts tourists who enjoy sampling
local wildlife and the way Zambians live.
Mr Mukata said inadequate funding has been an impediment of
the sector not only in Zambia but world over.
He said South Luangwa National Park is rated as one of the
premier hunting safaris in southern Africa, hence, the need for concerted
efforts from all stakeholders such as the community and other partners like
Norway and the local traditional leaders.
He urged the donor community both local and international to
find solutions to the challenges being faced in managing national parks.
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