Newly-appointed Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Indileni Daniel said she will prioritise new investments in the tourism sector to ensure industry diversification and sustainability.

Daniel made these remarks during her first address to the ministry’s staff here on Monday, where she also announced that a Spatial Tourism Master Plan will be developed by 30 June 2025.

“Tourism is a critical economic enabler. Our natural resources, including wildlife and protected areas, are important drivers of tourism and have a key role to play in our drive towards greater self-sufficiency and poverty reduction in their own right. Attracting and encouraging new investments to ensure industry diversification and sustainability will be a key and urgent focus of mine,” she said.

This, she emphasised, is necessary to stimulate the local economy by redefining the tourism landscape to bring about greater socio-economic inclusion.

The minister also highlighted the importance of ensuring that local communities derive optimum benefits from tourism and natural resources through value-addition and diversification.

Daniel further stated that she will focus on capitalising and fully operationalising the lotteries and gambling boards.

“We must remain steadfast in our commitment to integrity. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has made it clear that ‘corruption should be seen as treason’, a clarion call for all of us to uphold the highest ethical standards in our service to the nation,” she added. 

-Nampa