The meeting will not only raise the country's
profile on international travel industry but also stimulate interest as a
destination of choice for holiday and global conferences and conventions.
As a country and host, planning should
commence now if it has not already started because the event further presents
an opportunity for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE)
sector to package their services around the AU Heads of State and Government
summit.
If well harnessed, the event will contribute
to employment creation and income as well as increased foreign exchange
earnings for the country.
It is hoped that Zambia will benefit from
investments in tourism and recreation of infrastructure as well as increased
business for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Since the event will unite a large number of
people that participate in planning - from sponsors and suppliers to travel
agents, there is need for local SMEs to take advantage of the meeting to earn
business.
What makes this sector profitable is that MICE
travellers usually spend large sums on local services, such as accommodation,
conference centres, restaurants, car hire services and shopping, among others.
We therefore agree with Tourism and Arts
minister Rodney Sikumba that for Zambia to maximise the benefits of hosting
larger events, the events planners should begin to strategise now.
This will require taking stock of the
facilities that the country has and their capacities to host Heads of States
from the 55 member countries including their representatives.
In view of this, Mr Sikumba indicates that the
Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA) is taking stock of the capacities of the
established facilities to serve as a guide on the size and number of events
that can be hosted at any given time.
Taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic,
this had a toll on the tourism industry, players in the sector need to put in
place measures to ensure they are able to accommodate a large number of people
and delegates.
Like the minister highlights, the MICE sector,
according to research and market was poised to record US$38.45 billion in
growth in the period 2020-2024, if it was not for COVID-19 pandemic.
Opportunities for growth in event management
are vast and should be utilised particularly at such functions like the AU
Heads of State and Government Summit.
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