The Kasama Chamber of Commerce says the upgraded facility and functioning of the Kasama airport in Northern Province will be a major boost to the growth of tourism in the northern circuit as well as enhance economic activities.
President Hakainde Hichilema recently commissioned the Kasama airport after major rehabilitation works were done on it.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times –ZBT-, Kasama Chamber of Commerce Executive Secretary David Chanda said there has been for a long time talk of promoting tourism in the northern circuit and that one of the things which has been hampering the growth of the tourism sector in the country is poor infrastructure mainly in the transport sector.
Chanda said with the official commissioning of the Kasama airport, it is anticipated that business will improve noting that the amount of time for people to travel to and from Kasama will be shortened especially for tourists who can visit the many tourist attractions in the province such the Chishimba falls, Kalambo falls among others.
He mentioned that it is tiring for tourists coming from Europe to travel for many hours into Zambia land in Lusaka, and travel for another many hours to Kasama adding that with the airport now commissioned and functioning such inconveniences will no longer be a hindrance. “Now that we have a functional airport that has been commissioned, we are just waiting for flights to land at our airport and we anticipate that tourism will see a boost,” said Chanda.
Chanda said the country really needs an efficient transport system that includes a proper road network, efficient air transport, as well as efficient rail transport which are cardinal to the overall development of the country. “This is what you call capital for an economy to thrive on and grow,” said Chanda.
He said this is a major mile stone for Kasama and the province at large as the standards have been set quite high. He said the airport can land big planes and Cargo planes as the runway is able to accommodate all those. “This is a major milestone in the development of the country especially its tourism sector.”
