Challenges in managing immovable cultural heritage for tourism in Zambia

ABSTRACT

In an effort to diversify its tourism industry from wildlife and natural sites such as the Victoria Falls, the Zambian government has recognised the potential of more than 3000 immovable cultural heritage sites on the national register to contribute to the development of the industry. Despite immovable cultural heritage having great potential for tourism, only 12 such heritage sites have been opened to visitors. A review of the visitor records from 2008 to 2012 revealed that apart from one located at the world-renowned Victoria Falls, none of the sites had recorded more than 3000 visitors per year. To provide a basis for understanding the paradox of a high number of immovable cultural heritage sites attracting a low number of visitors, this article used archival research and past work experience of the author to identify and discuss some of the challenges associated with managing such heritage sites for tourism in Zambia.

KEYWORDS:

• Challenges
• immovable cultural heritage
• tourism
• visitors
• Zambia

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to staff at the East Central Regional office of the National Heritage Conservation Commission for providing the information that formed the basis of this article. Gratitude is also extended to Professor Charles Mwendabai Namafe and Mr Benson Njobvu for their comments on earlier versions of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 National Heritage Conservation Commission Site Annual Returns obtained from the Heritage Planning Section in 2014.

2 Visitor statistics obtained 24 March 2015 from Heritage Planning Section of National Heritage Conservation Commission, Lusaka.

3 Speech for the official opening of the Fourth Session of the Tenth National Assembly by His Excellency Mr Rupiah B Banda on 18 September 2009.

4 Personal communication on with Mr Kagosi Mwamulowe, the National Heritage Conservation Commission Director for East-central Region on 15 May 2012 in Lusaka.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Munukayumbwa Munyima

Munukayumbwa Munyima is a Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Socio-cultural Research Programme at the University of Zambia’s Institute of Economic and Social Research (formerly Institute for African Studies). He has authored “Policy Pronouncements Versus Resource Allocation: The Case of 2010–2013 Tourism Sector Development in Zambia,” African Social Research, No. 57/58, 2013 and co-authored “The Role of Tangible and Intangible Culture in Preserving Zambia’s Heritage,” Zambia Journal of Library and Information Science, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2013. He has wide experience working in the field of heritage conservation and tourism development and his research interest is in cultural heritage and tourism development.