By NNN-ZANIS,
Livingstone, Zambia : President Sellapan Rama Nathan of Singapore, who is here for a private visit, has pledged to help market Zambia’s Victoria Falls to the outside world.
Speaking during his tour of the Falls in Livingstone Tuesday, President Nathan said the Victoria Falls had the potential to attract tourists from all over the world and urged the Zambian government to fully exploit the potential of the world famous tourist attraction.
”We will publicize the Victoria Falls in Singapore but that alone is not enough. There must be concerted efforts locally to try and promote it worldwide in a way that will attract investment,” he said.
President Nathan said he had heard a lot about the Victoria Falls and that he was in the country to find memories of history. ”The Victoria Falls is known as one of the seven wonders of the world and it is indeed more than a wonder,” he added.
He said he was happy that the Zambian government had put up facilities that made it possible for people to come and view the falls.
Tourism Minister Kabinga Pande, who accompanied the visitor, called on investors from Singapore to come and invest in Zambia’s tourism sector.
He assured Singaporean investors that Zambia was not only friendly but was also one of the most peaceful countries in southern Africa and the African continent as a whole.
Pande also said government had a deliberate policy through the Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB) to attract tourists to the country. The country aimed to reach a target of one million tourists per annum passing through Livingstone by the year 2010.
President Nathan, accompanied by his wife, Nandey Urmila, and a delegation of 50 businessmen, is expected to depart from Livingstone for Singapore Wednesday. He had earlier made state visits to South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.