How One NGOs Drive for Conservation is Boosting Zambian Tourism

The NGO Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ), in conjunction with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), has led a remarkable rejuvenation of Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park. With wildlife rebounding, new riverside boutique campsites have the potential to bring back more tourists and economic growth to the Zambezi.

The Lower Zambezi National Park is one of the country’s most important wildlife sanctuaries, home to extraordinary elephant populations, lions, and much more. The park now appears as a haven of extraordinary African diversity. Yet it was not always so.

 From the 1970s through to 2016, the park experienced an epidemic of poaching. According to one local guide, this was a time “when we were being hammered by poachers, animals were rapidly disappearing.”

While the park witnessed a number of tragic losses, it was elephants that were particularly targeted. “When I started flying down here 20 years ago, I’d take off and see 20 poachers’ bushmeat drying racks in a morning, lion prides were moving from one carcass to another,” comments Ian Stevenson of CLZ. “We were being hit hard. In 2015 alone, which was the peak of the crisis, we lost 107 elephants,” he continues.

DNPW and CLZ have led the charge to protect the park and have overseen an impressive transformation. Founded in 1994, they have contributed significantly to stabilising elephant populations and the growth of sustainable tourism. In conjunction with the DNPW, their patrols act as a visible deterrent to potential poachers. In 2021 alone, they supported 14,378 man-days worth of anti-poaching patrols and apprehended 214 suspects.

The government of Zambia has removed visa requirements, and their consequent fees, for travellers coming from the EU, China, and the US. The increase in ease of access to Zambia as a holiday destination is designed to boost the number of foreign visitors, making it all the more important that tourism and sustainability come hand in hand.

NGOs have undertaken fantastic work in Zambia to this end. Ian Stevenson, CLZ’s CEO, was nominated for the Tusk Conservation Award in 2020. Tusk, one of Africa’s largest conservation charities, recognises those doing extraordinary conservation work on the continent. The charity’s patron, Prince William, personally thanked CLZ and Ian Stevenson for this work.

Working in partnership with like-minded stakeholders is a crucial part of CLZ’s success. CLZ is partially dependent on tourism for its activities. Safari companies are reliant on the beauty and biodiversity of the park to sustain their business. They, thus, support CLZ’s conservation work by contributing up to $1,000 a month and often consult with their experts on how to mitigate the impact of their visitors. 

Beks Ndlovu, founder and CEO of African Bush Camps, describes the views of the Zambezi as "like being in an oil painting" and is eager to share its natural beauty with the world. From your room at Lolebezi, one of African Bush Camps' newest sites, you can watch buffaloes run down the riverbanks, leopards lick their wounds in the trees, and hyenas gorge on scraps.

Time + Tide, a luxury safari company, has established a tented camp on the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi river. With 8 tents located right on the riverfront and a number of experiences on offer, Time + Tide brings tourists close to the action. Their extraordinary offering includes walking safaris, boat trips on the river, and sleepouts under the stars. Dining under the Albida trees, the work of CLZ means guests can see elephants at an extraordinarily close range as they seek to graze on their favoured snack of Albida pods.

Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba has recently called for more investment in the sector as he perceives untapped potential to spur economic growth. The hospitality, retail, and catering sectors all benefit from increased traffic at tourist sites. The Minister said he was "extending an olive branch to would-be investors" to explore the natural beauty of the country.

Furthermore, the World Bank recently announced they would be investing $100 million to boost tourism in the country. Specifically, the project is set to renovate airstrips and bridges in Liuwa Plain National Park. This will help the delegated infrastructure accommodate a rise in tourists. The project is part of a broader plan to develop and better integrate the western tourism circuit in the country. 

Mr. Sikumba wishes to see further investment in communication networks between popular tourist destinations to extend the stay of visitors to Zambia. His sentiment is echoed by the president who, on a recent trip to Tanzania, emphasized how African nations should be doing more to package their tourist offerings not as individuals, but as a packaging opportunity to stay longer, explore the region as a whole, experience the culture and diversity of the landscape while bringing more revenue to help both sustainability initiatives and the wider economy.

With the conservation work of CLZ and many others continuing, it is hoped that the Lower Zambezi National Park can continue to flourish while attracting tourists from around the world.