The Zambia Tourism Agency says accommodation packages in the country are overpriced. However, operators blame the government’s tax scheme for high prices.

According to a report in the Lusaka Times, Jocelyn Mutinta from ZTA urged tour operators in the country to look at introducing affordable rates for their packages to encourage tourism.

“The thing that pushes the rates high is the government taxes that the accommodation owners then include in their rates to guests. Basically, depending on the property and location, prices tend to differ,” said Sigo Adventures and Tours Director, Walter Syakalonga.

Bantu Pathfinders Managing Director Patson Chifumbe also blamed the high costs of accommodation on the country’s tax regime which operators then pass on to clients, adding that investment in the hospitality sector was low.

“In Livingstone, for example, competition isn’t high with about three major hotels. This limited number then leads to high costs as there is no competition for guests,” said Chifumbe. He said Zambia’s activities were not unique and visitors preferred to go to places with a wider product portfolio.

Syakalonga said the challenge was when one compared up-market hotels and lodges in the national parks, the rates were on the higher side but still lower than Zimbabwe. He said, in Zambia, the deluxe hotels’ prices were higher because of their location.

Maxi Travel and Tours’ Maxiwell Masempela is, however, of the opinion that Zambia’s rates are not overpriced as they are in line with other countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania, but said that when Europeans compare them with Namibia and South Africa, they found that Zambia was more expensive. Unlike many other African destinations, properties in Namibia and South Africa tend not to use dollar pricing.