ZAMBIA: Zambia Expands Tanganyika Tourism

Government and stakeholders have been urged to explore the tourism potential on Lake Tanganyika in Mpulungu District to positively contribute to the growth of the sector in 2016 and beyond.

Mpulungu Harbour Authority (MHA) manager, Dennis Kaluba, said there was a need for all stakeholders to explore the tourism potential of Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world, which forms part of Zambia’s northern border and boasts great fishing and kayaking, beautiful beaches, secluded and idyllic lakeside lodges and much more.

“Lake Tanganyika is a fresh water body which is beckoning investment in tourism. The water body has more than 350 species of fish of which most are exotic” he said.

Mr Kaluba said the lake had a number of bays around it which could attract tourists across the world.

He went on to say that modernisation of the infrastracture at the Mpulungu harbour was progressing well, and that the consultant engaged was expected to conclude detailed engineering designs early this year.

Mr Kaluba also said that government recently procured ultramodern equipment at a cost of US$5 million, which would be installed at the harbour.

Geoffrey Chellah, the proprietor of Lake Chilla Lodge in Mbala district, has also noted that both Lake Tanganyika itself and the Northern Province in general have a lot of tourism sites that are currently not adequately marketed. Late last year, Chellah said in a walk-in interview in Lusaka that, if they were well-marketed, sites such as Lake Tanganyika, Kalambo and Chishimba Falls have the potential to help increase revenue for the country.

He also said that with the ambitious road construction project that Government is currently undertaking, many tourism sites will be more easily reached in the Northern Province.