Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism and Arts has announced that arrival numbers in the first half of 2018 have grown compared with the same period last year.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Howard Sikwela, told the Zambian News and Information Services on Wednesday, September 12 that tourist arrivals from January to June had numbered 519 817, up from last year’s 511 822.

According to Sikwela, the most visited National Parks were South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Mosi oa Tunya National Park. Victoria Falls remained the most visited site nationwide. However, National Parks reported a drop of 1 000 international visitors.

In May, Zambia’s Tourism Minister, Charles Banda, set the goal of 1.3 million arrivals annually by 2020, up from 2017’s 1.1 million.