Author(s)

Binyi Liu, Floyd M. Mwanza

Department of Landscape Studies, Tongji University, Shanghai, China..

Over the last few decades, development policy has been dominated by mainstream economic theories that focus on economic growth to achieve sustainable development. The pace and scale of tourism growth in Livingstone (Mosi-oa-Tunya) area in Zambia have seen over reliance on natural resource utilisation by mass tourism developments. Compounded by insufficient planning and limited co-ordination and collaboration among the institutions involved in the tourism sector, tourism can have a negative impact and can create conflicts. Tourism growth in Livingstone (Mosi-oa-Tunya) has predominantly focused on the economic incentives in tourism and ignored the social perspective and impact on the local population. In general, the government agency administration structures affect the successful implementation of tourism policy and planning for sustainable tourism development. Given the fact that the limited government support, funds and appropriate knowledge in tourism limit Livingstone (Mosi-oa-Tunya) to develop as a sustainable “green” destination and remain an enormously difficult task to achieve.

Natural Resources; Planning; Sustainable; Tourism Policy

Liu, B. and Mwanza, F. (2014) Towards Sustainable Tourism Development in Zambia: Advancing Tourism Planning and Natural Resource Management in Livingstone (Mosi-oa-Tunya) Area. Journal of Service Science and Management, 7, 30-45. doi: 10.4236/jssm.2014.71004.