Tourism and Arts Minister Charles Banda says he wants to see more Chinese arrivals into Zambia to boost tourism income.

And Banda says government will not entertain jokers masquerading as investors coming to invest in the tourism sector in Zambia.

Speaking when he received representatives from Taopu Investment, a Zambian based Chinese Company at his office today, Banda said there was need for Zambia to remove restrictions on Chinese travel to Zambia.

“The ministry is working on modalities to have an open visa that could be facilitated upon arrival especially for Chinese tourists coming to Zambia,” Banda was quoted in a statement released by ministry public relations officer Sakabilo Kalembwe.

“The government appreciates that the Chinese outbound tourists are a bigger market and it will be vital that in future their entry into the country is made easier by removing certain restrictions to make it simpler for them to come to Zambia.”

And Banda expressed gratitude that some investors were interested in growing the tourism sector through various investments.

“In Livingstone; the government is interested in investment in hotel accommodation and conferencing facilities so that the city becomes a conferencing hub. The government wants to kill three birds with one stone by allowing tourists going to Livingstone for conferences, to view the Victoria Falls and the wildlife,” Banda said.

He said in the Northern Circuit, the government has up to 10 kilometres stretch of land available for investment along the Lake Bangweulu in Samfya.

And Taopu Investment manager An Tong said his company had identified a number of sites around the country where they could set up tourism businesses with a bias towards hotels, casinos and conference facilities.