African Tourism Board says Qatar Airways commitment will help the relaunch of tourism to Africa.
This is good news for the re-development of the travel and tourism industry in both Zambia and Zimbabwe, says African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube
The airline has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic having significantly grown its network by adding four routes to Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Luanda and restarting services to Alexandria, Cairo and Khartoum bringing its footprint to 27 destinations in 21 countries. Earlier this month, Qatar Airways also signed an interline agreement with RwandAir giving customers greater access to the combined networks of both airlines.
Qatar Airways now operates from Doha to Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN). This is Zambia’s largest city and commercial center.
Lusaka is the gateway to experiencing Zambia’s legendary tourist attractions from the Victoria Falls which it shares with Zimbabwe, to game reserves and a variety of wildlife.
Meanwhile, Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, will be served via Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport (HRE) is also a destination with rich culture, World Heritage-listed archaeological sites, and diverse natural landscapes. The aircraft was greeted in Lusaka and Harare by traditional water cannon salutes upon arrival.
Arvind Nayer, African Tourism Board ambassador, and CEO of Vintage Tours in Zimbabwe, and Cuthbert Ncube, Chairman of the African Tourism Board welcomed the recent expansion of Qatar Airways.
The airline has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to Africa throughout the pandemic having significantly grown its network by adding four routes to Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Luanda and restarting services to Alexandria, Cairo and Khartoum bringing its footprint to 27 destinations in 21 countries. Earlier this month, Qatar Airways also signed an interline agreement with RwandAir giving customers greater access to the combined networks of both airlines.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We have ambitious plans for Africa which is one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, with rising consumer demand and an abundance of natural resources. We see enormous potential in not just outbound travel from Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also inbound traffic from India, UK, and the Americas. We look forward to strengthening trade and tourism links between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and destinations on the Qatar Airways network, and steadily grow these routes to support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”
Businesses and traders will also benefit from the airline’s cargo offering, allowing more than 30 tonnes of cargo capacity per week, each way to support the two countries’ exports such as vegetables and flowers to destinations on the Qatar Airways network such as London, Frankfurt and New York and multiple points in China. Imports will consist of pharmaceuticals, automotive and technology equipment.
