12/10/2026
WORLD BANK-LED TEAM ASSESSES PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS AT MOSI-OA-TUNYA/VICTORIA FALLS WORLD HERITAGE SITE
LUSAKA, Zambia 🇿🇲, Monday, October 12, 2026 — A joint team comprising the World Bank, the Great Tourism Development Programme (Great TDP), the National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) and the Ministry of Tourism has conducted a tourism familiarisation tour of the Zambian side of the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site to assess proposed infrastructure and facility improvements aimed at enhancing the overall visitor experience.
The tour is part of efforts to identify lasting solutions to improving access, visitor facilities, information services and the general presentation of the World Heritage Site, with the ultimate objective of strengthening Zambia’s tourism appeal, increasing visitor arrivals and encouraging tourists to spend more time on the Zambian side of the destination.
The World Bank delegation was led by Task Team Leader Ms. BLERTA DERIMI and Task Co-Leader Mr. AYMEN OSMAN ALI, while the Great TDP team was led by Project Coordinator Ms. CHILALA HABASIMBI. The NHCC delegation was led by Executive Director Mr. KAGOSI MWAMULOWE.
Speaking during the tour, Mr. MWAMULOWE emphasised that visitor information is one of the most critical components of heritage conservation and tourism development, noting that providing visitors with adequate information about heritage sites is just as important as ensuring that the sites are easily accessible.
He said the full appreciation of a World Heritage Site goes beyond viewing its natural beauty to understanding its significance, thereby enriching the visitor experience and strengthening the value of heritage tourism.
Mr. MWAMULOWE disclosed that NHCC was already working on an upgraded electronic ticketing system as part of efforts to modernise visitor management and improve service delivery.
He described the proposed development interventions as exciting, expressing confidence that, once implemented, they would enhance the visitor experience and help position the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site in line with its international recognition and significance.
“The development ideas being discussed are very exciting and have the potential to transform the visitor experience at the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site. As NHCC, we recognise the importance of combining improved access and modern visitor facilities with adequate information that enables visitors to appreciate the significance of our heritage,” Mr. MWAMULOWE said.
He added that NHCC remained committed to working with cooperating partners and other stakeholders to ensure that the site continued to attract visitors while safeguarding its Outstanding Universal Value.
Ms. HABASIMBI said the purpose of the tour was to enable the team to appreciate the existing situation on the ground and identify areas requiring improvement as plans were developed to upgrade facilities and accommodate increased visitor inflows to the natural wonder.
She said the proposed interventions were intended to contribute to the Government’s ambition of attracting five million tourists by 2031, in line with the Presidential directive.
Ms. HABASIMBI noted that improving infrastructure, accessibility and supporting facilities at major tourism attractions was essential to enhancing Zambia’s competitiveness as a destination and ensuring that the country derived greater economic benefits from its tourism resources.
And Mr. ALI said the proposed improvements would help make the visitor experience more iconic, attractive and accessible, while commending NHCC for its vision of improving the site.
He expressed optimism about working closely with the Commission and other partners to advance the proposed interventions, noting that collaboration would be essential to achieving the project's objectives.
While Ms. DERIMI emphasised that all planned developments must be carefully designed and implemented in a manner that protects the Outstanding Universal Value of the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.
She said the project had an ambitious scope, with proposed areas of intervention including parking facilities, the border entry point, road access to the falls, the observation tree and other supporting infrastructure intended to improve the overall tourism experience.
Ms. DERIMI also highlighted the need to improve the water tank at the entrance to Livingstone, the Faulty Towers area in 217 for pedestrians, and the Mukuni Park area as part of broader efforts to enhance the tourism environment and facilities supporting visitors to the destination.
She explained that the overarching objective was to make visiting the Zambian side of the falls more convenient and attractive, encouraging tourists to stay longer and explore more of what Zambia has to offer.
Longer visitor stays are expected to create greater opportunities for tourism businesses, hospitality establishments, local communities and other service providers, while contributing to increased tourism earnings for the country.
The Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site remains one of Zambia’s most prominent natural heritage assets and a major international tourism attraction. Its continued development requires a balanced approach that improves visitor facilities and accessibility while preserving the natural and heritage values underpinning its global significance.
The familiarisation tour therefore represents an important step towards identifying priority infrastructure and service improvements that will contribute to a more accessible, informative and memorable visitor experience, in support of Zambia’s broader tourism development agenda and the national target of attracting five million tourists by 2031.
Issued by:
NDUBI RODGER MVULA
Manager – Information and Public Relations.
FOOTNOTE: The National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Tourism charged with the responsibility of conserving Zambia’s natural and cultural heritage for research, sustainable tourism development, education and enjoyment of all the people now in the future. In December 29th, 1989 National Heritage Conservation Commission Act CAP 173 was enacted.
