VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Livingstone shares the wonderful Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe with joint responsibility to protect, preserve and promote this World Heritage site. To do it justice we have started working with the Dutch government in planning a new Visitor’s Information Centre at the Falls site. This will engage our visitors in better understanding of the geological formation of the gorges and the Falls, the flora and fauna in the area, the human history including local tribe dispersion, as well as the key people who brought the Falls to worldwide attention. This project requires advice and support in order to produce the best of modern design for a new facility, assistance in storytelling and how to deliver through digital means, improved methods of monitoring visitors, and data collection improvements for future planning of the site.

C I T Y  B Y P A S S

Livingstone is a border town with two international borders. in close proximity to the city - Botswana and Zimbabwe - with a third at Katima Mulilo in Namibia approx 200 kms away. These are major transport routes through sub-Saharan Africa bringing goods from overseas via Durban, Cape Town and Walvis Bay. Lack of railway infrastructure means road freight being the preferred method of transportation of imports, exports and transit cargo. On a daily basis there are in the region of 300 superlink trucks driving through the city and up to 150 parked within the city boundaries at any one time. This traffic causes noise and dirt pollution in the city, has a detrimental effect on our roads and quality of life for our residents and detracts from our visitors experiences. In February 2020, a speeding truck killed two rhinos and this tragic incident shows that the increasing prevalence of trucks is also harmful to wildlife. A major project being assessed is a road bypassing the city so that trucks can move from the Botswana and Namibia borders without coming into the city itself. Other strategies are being discussed so as to reduce the traffic from Zimbabwe across the Victoria Falls Bridge and from March 2021, exports will only be allowed through this border by rail.

E N E R G Y  S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have a power deficit with Zambia being no exception. Reliance on hydro power is affecting the generation and transmission of power throughout the country. Livingstone is affected like other cities with many hours of “load shedding” on a daily basis. Affecting local residents and businesses alike including tourism services providers, lack of power affects our ability to ensure comfort and safety of our visitors. The city requires a sustainable plan for its power needs looking to renewable energy options as well as improved energy efficiency across the city’s population and business sectors. For example solar powered street lighting would encourage more tourists to choose city based restaurants for dining experiences rather than remaining in their riverside lodges Likewise recycling waste - from houses, hotels and businesses - could become a source of energy as well as improving the physical attraction of the city. To become a Green Sustainable city is the ultimate goal.