Zambia Targets Three Million Visitors By This Year, Highlighting Gambling As A Key Driver Of Tourism Growth

Published on August 13, 2025

Zambia is stepping up its tourism manufacture pinch lofty objectives, seeking to big 3 cardinal overseas visitors by nan adjacent of 2025. A awesome constituent of this strategy is to marketplace authorized gambling, placing casinos arsenic captious offerings on pinch Zambia’s renowned wildlife, heritage, and eco-tourism activities.

The country’s increasing liking successful gambling arsenic a tourism driver was highlighted astatine nan 97th Agricultural and Commercial Show held from July 30 to August 4, 2025, wherever casino licensing was showcased alongside different initiatives successful agriculture, commerce, and tourism. This marks a policy shift, pinch gambling now recognized arsenic an expanding manufacture that tin diversify and boost Zambia’s tourism entreaty and economical growth.

Tourism Growth connected Track for Record Numbers successful 2025

Zambia’s tourism assemblage has shown beardown momentum successful caller years. In 2024, tourist arrivals surged from 1.3 million successful 2023 to 2.2 million successful conscionable 1 year. The state is good connected its measurement to surpassing its 2.4 cardinal target for 2025 and could perchance scope three cardinal visitors by nan extremity of nan year. This maturation is simply a testament to Zambia’s rising popularity arsenic a regional recreation hub successful Southern Africa.

Rodney Sikumba, Zambia’s Minister of Tourism, emphasized that this maturation is not conscionable astir tourism but besides linked to nan country’s economical success, arsenic Zambia’s system expanded by 4% successful 2024. The authorities intends for 6% maturation successful 2025, pinch tourism and hospitality playing a pivotal domiciled successful driving nan nation’s economical progress.

Integrating Gambling into Zambia’s Tourism Strategy

Zambia’s determination to incorporated casino licensing into its tourism strategy signals nan country’s committedness to offering a diverse and comprehensive tourism experience. While Zambia is globally recognized for its natural attractions specified arsenic Victoria Falls, safaris, and heritage sites, nan inclusion of regulated casinos intends to pull caller demographics of travelers seeking further leisure and entertainment options.

The Agricultural and Commercial Show served arsenic an perfect level to showcase casino licensing, positioning nan gambling industry arsenic a legitimate and important contributor to nan tourism sector. This move mirrors trends seen successful different African markets wherever regulated gambling has successfully extended visitor stays, increased spending, and diversified nan tourism offer.

Existing Casinos successful Zambia Show Strong Potential

Several existing casinos successful Zambia are already proving nan imaginable of this sector. Lusaka Royale Casino, Majestic Casino, and Casino Marina are drafting some local and international tourists, offering modern gaming facilities mixed pinch restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. These venues show really gaming tin complement Zambia’s accepted tourist attractions and supply an enhanced visitant experience.

The government’s attraction connected ensuring that early casino licenses are awarded wrong a regulated framework guarantees precocious standards of quality and promotes responsible gambling operations. This regulatory attack will thief position Zambia’s gambling manufacture arsenic a safe and charismatic action for world tourists.

Tourism Development: A Multi-Pronged Approach

The inclusion of casino licensing alongside tourism licensing and grading during nan show reflects a broader strategy to merge gambling into Zambia’s national tourism framework. This is simply a calculated effort to broaden nan country’s entreaty and make it much competitory pinch different destinations offering a operation of leisure activities.

As Zambia continues to build connected its strong tourism growth successful 2024, location is expanding optimism that gambling tin go 1 of nan country’s fastest-growing tourism sectors. The preamble of casinos, coupled pinch eco-tourism and cultural tourism, will thief Zambia diversify its offerings and pull much international visitors.

The Road Ahead: Meeting and Exceeding Tourism Targets

With nan government’s proactive attraction connected nan tourism assemblage and gambling’s integration into nan nationalist strategy, Zambia is connected way to meet its three cardinal visitant target for 2025. The gambling industry has nan imaginable to boost Zambia’s tourism revenue, create caller jobs, and foster economic growth, particularly successful underdeveloped regions.

The country’s increasing estimation arsenic a tourism destination will apt continue, attracting investors, creating employment opportunities, and supporting local economies done enhanced tourism experiences. As nan assemblage matures and much world visitors flock to Zambia, nan country’s tourism manufacture is group to flourish and lend moreover much importantly to nan nation’s economical development.

Conclusion: A Promising Future for Zambia’s Tourism and Gambling Sectors

By welcoming gambling into its tourism policy, Zambia is positioning itself arsenic a diversified and move African tourism destination. Incorporating casinos and different recreational pursuits will supply visitors pinch caller experiences, and lend to nan country’s wide objectives of economical development, sustainability, and competitiveness successful nan region. As Zambia develops its tourism infrastructure and broadens its world appeal, nan tourism and gaming industries will beryllium astatine nan forefront of nan nation’s early prosperity.