The Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) says the country’s aviation industry recorded a historic 2,056,312 passengers in 2023.
ZACL Acting Managing Director, Gillian Mazimba, who disclosed this while announcing the 2023 aviation industry performance in Lusaka on Wednesday, said this was the highest number of passengers recorded by the Corporation since its inception in 1989, despite the year being turbulent as a result of Covid-19.
Mazimba stated that the surge of passengers represented an increase of 24 per cent when compared to 1,653,077 passengers recorded in 2022 and a recovery to pre Covid-19 levels of 111 percent when compared to 1,850,715 passengers recorded in 2019.
“The highest recovery rate was at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport at 123 percent and the least was at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport at 60 percet recovery,” Mazimba said.
She further highlighted that international passengers recovered by 103 percent with Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) recording the highest recovery of 115 percent.
According to Mazimba, the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport which mainly served the tourism industry continued with a slow pace to recovery at only 45 percent.
“Nevertheless, this was an improvement when compared to a recovery of 39 percent recorded in 2022,” she said, adding that international passenger performance was driven by the complete removal of COVID-19 requirements by the Ministry of Health in March 2023.
“In addition to sporting events held in the country such as the Barcelona Legends vs Zambia Legends Exhibition Football Match in May 2023, as well as the hosting of various meetings and conferences which included the Summit for Democracy,” she added.
She said this was attributable to the hosting of the 16th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Forum, the 22nd Summit of COMESA Heads of State and the CANSO Africa Conference.
“Domestic passengers recovered by 140 percent with all airports surpassing pre COVID-19 passenger levels.
“In addition, the continued hosting of various meetings in Livingstone by professional bodies has continued to be a significant contributor to domestic passenger performance,” Mazimba added.