Zimbabwe: A journalist from United Kingdom (UK) – Radhika Aligh has implored local tour operators to market Livingstone’s tourism potential beyond the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.
The renowned journalist works with the UK’s leading luxury travel public relations company PC Agency. She has spent continuous four days in the tourist capital.
Aligh said that there was so much potential for Livingstone to be a world-class tourism destination beyond the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.
She added that Livingstone was a fascinating place that ought to be known and take it’s rightful place to the international tourism market.
While being in Livingstone, Radhika Aligh spent her four days sampling various tourism products that included Victoria Falls and sunset cruises on the Zambezi River. The tour also consisted of visiting community villages, farms and museums as well as enjoying the night life.
Journalist Radhika Aligh said, “I know people mostly come here for the Victoria Falls but there is so much more that Livingstone has to offer beyond the waterfalls.”
“I had no idea that Livingstone has so much rich culture and tradition and so the earlier you just try to move away from the Victoria Falls that might be a game changer,” added Aligh.
She highlighted that the tourism economy must thrive beyond tourists just visiting the seventh natural wonder of the world. She advised that the government must also invest more in developing the outskirts and the road network leading to tourism sites.
“It was only the beginning of tourism for Livingstone and that if tour operators could extensively market the town’s rich history, there would be a lot of foreign tourists visiting the tourist capital and leaving the much-needed revenue,” said the journalist from UK.
Radhika added that the promotion of sustainable ecotourism was another opportunity that could be seized if tourism in Livingstone was to grow to very competitive levels.
“Tourism operators must also tap into volunteer tourism, where people from across the world could come and volunteer in various sectors of the economy, and hence creating an opportunity for revenue for the Government and tourism players,” said Aligh.
