Green, Resilient and Transformational Tourism Development Project (GREAT-TDP)

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The tourism sector is part of Zambia’s overall national strategy for economic recovery and jobs creation. The country is endowedwith a large natural resource base for rich natural heritage, and nature-based tourism attractions. The Government’s efforts toexpand tourism are centered around Zambia’s unique wilderness value and large network of protected areas, which cover 30 percent ofits national territory. The proposed GREAT-TDP will support the government to increase the economic contribution of tourism to theZambian economy through the implementation of selected priority activities in the tourism plan. The Zambia Tourism Master Plan(ZTMP 2018-2038) lays out the country’s tourism strategy, with a focus on economic transformation and job creation. It promotestourism-related infrastructure, diversification of tourism products, domestic and international tourism marketing, sustainablemanagement, and conservation of wildlife habitats in national parks. These focus areas constitute the government’s programs fortourism and are anchored in the aspirations of the National Tourism Policy (2015), the 7NDP and the Vision 2030. The sector isfaced with a number of challenges, these include, underfunding; poor tourism infrastructure in tourist attraction centers; policylaps and inconsistencies; human-wildlife conflicts; degradation of biological corridors and community managed natural areas;constrained space for private sector investments; community lack of access to benefits; and degradation of wildlife and habitats.There is also lack of public support for marketing and tourism promotion to increase the country’s share in the regional tourismmarket, and lack of credible sectoral statistics for better policy decisions. Growth of the sector could have significant pro-poorimpact, raising prosperity and providing more jobs and better livelihoods for many Zambians especially in rural areas.Theproposed GREAT-TDP will support the implementation of eligible priority activities of the ZTMP that are contributing to the PDO.These activities may include, but not be limited to (i) developing infrastructure to make tourism sites attractive to investors;(ii) supporting the management of protected areas to secure the natural habitat and wildlife as main tourism assets; (iii)correcting policies that are impeding tourism investment, (iv) strengthening labor skills and qualification in trades that supporttourism, (v) improving national marketing to rapidly increase visibility in the tourism source markets as COVID subsides, and (vi)supporting communities livelihoods that directly or indirectly enhance the security and attractivity of tourism assets. The Projectis expected to have 4 components: C1. Facility Operation; C2. National policy and capacity enhancement; C3. Tourism site accessinfrastructure to and in TDAs;C4. Tourism site development & conservation in TDAs.Component 1 will finance among other thingsproject management functions, including the creation of a Project Implementation Unit. The activities will include administrationof the subprojects and implementation of the project within the allocated time frame, with satisfactory planning, procurement,financial management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and communication. Component 2 will finance the softer part of the projectincluding policy review, assessments and capacity building and trainings. The goal is to support the related improvements in policyenvironment and institutional arrangements to unlock the tourism sector contribution to economic growth and job creation. It willinclude activities such as correcting policies that are impeding tourism investment, strengthening labor skills and qualificationin trades that support tourism, and improving national marketing to rapidly increase visibility in the tourism source markets asCOVID subsides. Component 3 will finance the upgrading of existing tourist destinations that aren’t fully developed/ exploitedthrough medium scale infrastructure interventions. This will focus on public investment in essential infrastructure facilities (e.groad and air strip rehabilitation) to upgrade selected tourism sites and improve their accessibility and tourism revenue potential.Improvements in infrastructure represent one of the main requirements to boost the tourism sector in Zambia. Without theinfrastructure there will, be no tourism taking place in these sites. Infrastructure investments, to be identified duringimplementation, could include but not limited to (i) improved facilities at key natural and cultural heritage sites including entryfacilities, restrooms; (ii) improvement, rehabilitation and/or maintenance of roads airstrips, bridges; upgraded quality andcondition of tourism relevant utilities such as electricity, water/sanitation, waste management in the selected TDAs. Component 4will finance development of tourism sites and may include activities such as development of national parks, GMAs, community areasand tourism sites to enhance visibility and attractiveness of the sites, construction/rehabilitation of basic amenities atidentified sites to support visitor stay, increasing of hotel bed space to support increased number of visits. In addition, this component will also support activities that strengthen alternative livelihoods for targeted communities in proximity to TDAs. Thiswill give opportunity for communities within the proximity of these tourism sites to contribute sustainably to the management andalso play a role as small producers of inputs for private sector within the value chain for tourism development. Activities suchas eco-tourism will also play a critical role in providing the jobs needed by youth and women.Civil works interventions underboth Components 3 and 4 will not involve (i) new infrastructure in non-intervened natural areas, or (ii) large-scale infrastructurein urban or rural areas. The menu of potential investments will be further refined during preparation, as more information becomesavailable. Specific investments under both components, to be identified during implementation, will adhere to the projectboundaries set within the ZTMP, and will be evaluated in partnership with the government. The project would be implemented usinga Subproject Facility (Facility). The Facility would provide subgrants to various entities based on Subproject proposals. EachSubprojects would be entrusted to a separate entity called a Subproject Delivery Agency (SDA). An SDA could be a ministerialdepartment or agency, a provincial or district government office or a civil society organization. Each of these entities would needto demonstrate sufficient capacity before being awarded a subgrant.