National and regional tourism development master planning and strategy formulation

  Tourism facilities and infrastructure designing and development, feasibility studies, and

       investment planning

  Institutional and administrative development, human resources development strategies,

       and community considerations

We have participated in providing consultancy services in various projects to develop tourist infrastructure such as Rehabilitation of Mfuwe Airport and construction of High class lodges in the same area, paying due attention to employment generation for local communities, environmental impact assessments and overall regional development.
Our emphasis specifically focuses on demand-driven and action-oriented approaches, including the formulation of action-based promotion plans, tourism product development based on absolute strength, effective public-private partnerships, and the strengthening and revitalization of tourism industry.

Currently, ZRDC is facilitating local ownership and community participation in the pilot project so that these pilot projects can remain sustainable, even after the support of the study team ends. The fields of expertise include tourism planning, tourism promotion, agricultural development, social development, urban environment, and human resource development.

Representative Projects

»Study of tourism diversification and feasibility of David Livingstone Safaris Lodge
The objective of the study was to assist in project formation by providing recommendations for project sustainability and by preparing action plans for project implementation. Four major study tasks were: (i) the selection of subprojects and preparation of an Implementation Program for the Project; (ii) elaboration of programs for local community participation in tourism; (iii) proposals for revised setups for project implementation, operation and maintenance, effective use of funds, and sustainability of the project; and (iv) proposals for effective strategies to promote tourism. ZRDC was responsible for the social consideration and poverty program components of the study. ZRDC also organized focus group discussions with stakeholder groups in the target areas, to collect more detailed socio-economic data and to better understand their perception of tourism. After the analysis, a participatory workshop for planning community participation program was held in each target area with representatives of various groups of local residents.

»Tourism Development Planning 

ZRDC in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency formulated a regional development plan study for the Zambezi River basin that is endowed with abundant natural resources and yet significantly underdeveloped. Tasks included: (i) review of socio-economic conditions and development activities in the region; (ii) review of institutional and legal arrangements for the development of the target region, and assess administrative capabilities; (iii) identification of issues and problems in key sectors including agriculture, infrastructure, rural sector, energy, and water resources; and (iv) recommendations for scopes of services to be rendered in the proposed study.

»Building Capacity in Tourism Planning
ZRDC has provided services for tourism planning in the following areas: (i) tourism sector policy and tourism development plans; (ii) legal framework and quality assurance systems, including strengthening of current institutional arrangements, establishing of quality assurance system to include licensing, standards, hotel grading, data collection and enforcement system, preparation of a training program for the quality assurance system, and assisting in further development of the legal framework to bring it into line with international standards. ZRDC has also undertaken a wide variety of urban and regional planning studies national wide, including: Regional and urban disaster prevention plans (see Environment & Energy); Urban environmental management; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) development (a feasibility study in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands)