The Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) has officially signed six-month Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with two international media companies, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the American travel technology company, Expedia Group. This strategic collaboration aims to significantly boost Zambia’s visibility as a premier tourism destination through a targeted six-month tourism campaign.
Speaking at a media briefing attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZTA Chief Executive Officer, Matongo Matamwandi, highlighted ZTA’s ambitious goal to reach 3 million tourist arrivals by 2026, contributing substantially to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and fostering job creation within the sector. To achieve this, Matamwandi said the agency has developed a comprehensive marketing plan, with these new partnerships forming a crucial part of its strategy.
“Part of our strategy involves leveraging satellite TV broadcasters like the BBC and prominent online media platforms, which is why we chose Expedia,” Matamwandi explained. He emphasized that these selections were intentional, designed to drive the desired increase in tourist numbers.
Matamwandi clarified that the selection process for both BBC and Expedia was rigorous, adhering to public procurement regulations. “We would have liked to initiate this much earlier, but we had to follow the normal procurement process. BBC competed with other major television stations like CNN and Al Jazeera, and through the tender process, BBC emerged as our preferred broadcaster,” he noted.
A key factor in choosing the BBC was its extensive global reach and competitive pricing. Matamwandi revealed, “We were particularly attracted to their reach as they will connect with more people. I must also state that they were reasonable in price and willing to negotiate, securing us close to a 60 percent discount on the contract we’re signing. This was inspired by the President’s continuous encouragement to negotiate the best deals for the country.”
He said the six-month BBC tourism promotional campaign is projected to provide immense brand visibility for Zambia. “With 125 million monthly viewers on their platform, and a presence in 200 states worldwide, the campaign is expected to deliver significant exposure. Beyond traditional media, the digital component of the BBC campaign alone is anticipated to generate close to 300 million website views.”
He noted that the motivation behind this extensive awareness campaign stems from a recent survey conducted in key source markets including the UK, Europe, and the U.S adding that the results from an independent organization in the UK showed alarming awareness levels only three percent in the UK, two percent in Europe, and five percent in the U.S. knew about Zambia as a holiday destination. “This means that for every hundred people asked, only a handful were aware of Zambia. This motivated us to launch a mass marketing awareness campaign, ensuring potential tourists know Zambia exists and offers numerous products for holidays.”
Similarly, Expedia Group, a leading online travel agency, was selected after a competitive tender process against platforms like Booking.com and Trivago. Matamwandi highlighted Expedia’s strong numbers and reasonable pricing as key determinants.
“Expedia’s platform is more targeted, as it caters directly to the tourism trade – travel agents, destination marketing companies, and individuals looking to book travel. By advertising Zambia directly on these platforms, we are reaching our target audience right where they are actively planning their trips.”
Matamwandi emphasized the government’s insistence on demonstrable return on investment (ROI) for increased marketing budgets. “We need to know what we are getting in terms of revenue, contribution to GDP, and job creation for every dollar invested in promoting Zambia,” he stressed. “Expedia’s data will enable us to report back to the government with tangible results, advocating for further investment in the sector.”
ZTA CEO also passionately advocated for tourism’s long-term sustainability. “Tourism is probably the most sustainable sector we have as a country,” he asserted. “Unlike minerals, which are finite, tourism, especially our nature-based tourism, is sustainable because we don’t deplete anything from nature.”
He further highlighted tourism’s widespread economic benefits, reaching every district in Zambia and offering employment opportunities across various skill levels. “Tourism can employ almost everyone, anywhere, from tour guides to lodge staff who can be trained on the job,” Matamwandi said. “We believe that if we build this sector, it has the potential to one day attract 10 million tourists, which would have a tremendous impact on GDP and job creation.”
Matamwandi said the new key source markets include the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries such as Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, as well as India, China, and Brazil.
He also noted the growing importance of regional tourism. “Zimbabweans are taking holidays in Zambia, and South Africa now accounts for the highest number of arrivals into Zambia, so we are not ignoring these vital regional markets,” he stated. He also hinted at a future agreement with Kenya to facilitate tourist exchanges, capitalizing on East Africa’s lack of significant waterfalls, a key attraction in Zambia.
“We have expanded our key source markets to include the African region as a whole, and these are the major markets we will focus on. The BBC’s coverage of most of these markets was a significant attraction for us, and we are hopeful for positive results from these campaigns,” Matamwandi concluded.
