The Ministry of Tourism and Art was created on 10th July, 2011 after realignment of Government Ministries by His Excellency Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, the President of Republic of Zambia. This brought together the portfolio functions of tourism from former Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and the portfolio functions of Culture from the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs. This was done in order to streamline and rationalise the functions and operations of the tourism and cultural sector.