Malawi far from being mentioned in powering Africa’s tourism surge – Maravi Express

* As Travelandtourworld.com highlights strides made by top tourism hotspots of Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Mauritania, Madagascar including Malawi’s neighbouring Zimbabwe

* In its yesterday’s edition December 18, 2024, highlighting the nations mentioned are leveraging their unique cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and world-renowned wildlife to attract millions of international visitors

* The CoVID-19 pandemic may have caused significant setbacks, but these countries are now witnessing record-breaking growth

* This revival highlights Africa’s potential as a premier global tourist destination, with each country offering distinctive travel experiences

Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira

In its efforts to revitalise its economy, the Malawi leadership tries as much as possible to market its tourism industry to attract foreign tourists — with most recently being President Lazarus Chakwera administration’s vision as enshrined in his much-touted agriculture, tourism and mining (ATM) strategy.

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In September, President Chakwera made a profound statement of commitment to the future of Malawi’s tourism by visiting the stunning Majete Game Reserve that came at a crucial time when Ministry of Tourism’s was working towards transforming Malawi’s economy, with tourism serving as a cornerstone of the structural change.

The visit was more than a tour — it was a declaration that Malawi is open for business, for exploration, and for sustainable tourism growth as an invitation to both global tourists and local citizens to experience the beauty and diversity of the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’’s landscapes and wildlife.

With the country’s breathtaking Lake Malawi, the vast Nyika National Park, the towering Mulanje Mountain, and so many other natural wonders, it is expected for the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ to, at least, get recognition as playing a part in “Africa’s tourism sector that is experiencing a remarkable resurgence”.

In its edition yesterday, December 18, 2024; Travel and Tour World website highlights strides made by top tourism hotspots of Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Mauritania, Madagascar as well as upcoming Djibouti, Botswana, Angola — including Malawi’s neighbouring Zimbabwe.

They are “leveraging their unique cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and world-renowned wildlife to attract millions of international visitors” as reported by Travelandtourworld.com.

Malawi is far from being mentioned, but for the mentioned countries, cognizance is taken that despite the CoVID-19 pandemic “may have caused significant setbacks, but these countries are now witnessing record-breaking growth”.

Global tourism sector experiencing a powerful resurgence Travelandtourworld.com the revival highlights Africa’s potential as a premier global tourist destination, with each country of the countries mentioned offering distinctive travel experiences.

“The global tourism sector is experiencing a powerful resurgence, with over one billion international tourists traveling worldwide in the first nine months of 2024. This represents a recovery of 98% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism.

“Despite ongoing challenges posed by economic pressures, geopolitical tensions, and climate-related disruptions, the tourism industry is on track for a full recovery by the end of 2024. This milestone signifies a major turnaround for a sector that faced its most significant crisis in modern history when international travel came to a near standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Africa is playing a key role in this global rebound, with the continent recording an impressive 6% growth compared to 2019 levels. This makes Africa one of the few regions to exceed its pre-pandemic performance.

“The rise in tourism has been driven by a surge in demand for nature-based travel, cultural exploration, and adventure tourism, as well as relaxed visa policies in key destinations like Kenya, Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Botswana, Namibia, and Ghana.

“Countries like Kenya have introduced landmark visa reforms, while Zimbabwe has granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to citizens from multiple countries, making it easier for international travelers to explore African destinations.

“As Africa continues to attract more visitors, the region’s tourism recovery is expected to outpace global averages, bolstered by its growing reputation as a must-visit destination for nature, wildlife, and heritage tourism.

African aviation rebounds

“The aviation sector in Africa is also showing clear signs of recovery, with growth in passenger traffic, seat capacity, and load factors,” says Travelandtourworld.com. “According to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Lufthansa saw significant gains in its passenger operations across Africa in 2023.

“During the fourth quarter of 2023, Lufthansa carried over 1.3 passengers in Africa, while total passengers for the year reached nearly five million, representing a over 67% increase year-on-year.

“Despite this growth, passenger volumes remain over 35% below 2019 levels, reflecting the gradual return to pre-pandemic travel patterns.

“The increase in passenger numbers was accompanied by improvements in key operational indicators. Available seat kilometers for the fourth quarter of 2023 reached over 12.5 billion, up 34.8% year-on-year, while revenue seat kilometers for the same period reached more than 10.3 billion, reflecting a 31.3%.

“Lufthansa’s passenger load factor for 2023 stood at 84.5%, showing a solid recovery from the previous year, with the figure only 0.8 points below 2019 levels. The airline operated more than 1,300 flights to and from Africa during the fourth quarter of 2023 and 4,800 flights over the entire year, a 67.5% increase from 2022.

“While still behind 2019 figures, these trends highlight the strong demand for travel to and from Africa, as more airlines resume services and passengers return to international routes.

“The positive recovery is expected to continue in 2024, supported by stronger tourism demand, enhanced flight capacity, and improved visa policies across the continent.

Kenya setting new records in safari and beach tourism

The report highlights that Kenya draws millions of visitors every year with its world-famous Maasai Mara safaris, pristine beaches, and cultural festivals, adding that adventure-seekers flock to the east African country for the Great Wildebeest Migration, while beach lovers are captivated by the white sands of Diani Beach.

The Great Wildebeest Migration

“Its national parks, rich marine life, and unique wildlife encounters have made Kenya a bucket-list destination for travelers worldwide,” says the report. “Kenya saw nearly two million tourist arrivals in 2023, an over 31% increase from 2022, according to the Kenya Tourism Research Institute.

“This figure not only exceeded pre-pandemic levels of one million visitors in 2019 but also reinforced Kenya’s status as a major African tourism hub as the sector generated KSh350 billion (US$2.7 billion) in 2023, up from over US$2 billion in 2022.

“While the country has yet to reclaim its pre-pandemic high of over 2 million visitors annually, projections for 2024 indicate Kenya could welcome 2.38 million tourists, breaking previous records.

Zimbabwe draws visitors to the majestic Victoria Falls

Closer to Malawi; Zimbabwe is reported to continue capturing the global attention “with its stunning natural wonders, especially the world-famous Victoria Falls [as] tourists come from far and wide to witness the breathtaking falls, experience thrilling activities like white-water rafting, and explore the vast wildlife reserves of Hwange and Mana Pools”.

The great Victoria Falls

“Adventure, nature, and culture combine to make Zimbabwe a must-visit destination,” says the report. “In 2024, Zimbabwe saw a significant surge in tourism with the first quarter alone recording 409,971 foreign arrivals, up over 83% from the same period in 2023.

“The Beitbridge border post remained Zimbabwe’s busiest entry point, while air travel to the country increased by over 171%. The Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport handled 96,658 arrivals, followed by Victoria Falls Airport with 30,840 arrivals.

“Tourism receipts climbed 22% to US$1.1 billion, while international tourist arrivals reached 1.6 million, a dramatic rise from 1 million in 2022.

Botswana leading Africa’s sustainable safari tourism

The report highlights that Botswana stands out as “one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations, offering world-class safari experiences in places like the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park”.

Okavango Delta

“Known for its sustainable tourism model, Botswana limits tourist numbers to protect its fragile ecosystem while maintaining a high-value, low-impact approach. This model has made Botswana a top choice for eco-conscious travelers.

“In 2023, Botswana welcomed 1,183,432 international visitors, with 77.2% arriving from neighboring SADC countries — South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

“Botswana’s tourism sector is expected to see continued growth, with revenue projected to increase from US$334 million in 2023 to US$399 million by 2028 — with key drivers of tourism include wildlife safaris, leisure tourism, and cultural experiences, with December being the most popular month for arrivals.”

Angola unlocking potential for future growth

with its scenic coastlines, wildlife reserves, and historic landmarks, Angola “has the potential to become a leading African tourist destination — however, the country faces structural challenges that have hindered growth”.

Angola’s beaches

“Angola’s beaches, cultural sites, and natural beauty offer opportunities for tourism growth if the right investments are made. In 2023, Angola recorded 169,000 tourist arrivals, but projections suggest a decline to 99,000 visitors by 2028.

“Tourism receipts are expected to fall from US$677 million in 2023 to US$654 million by 2028. Angola’s tourism sector has faced significant challenges since 2000, with demand dropping by 5% annually.

“The government is now focusing on revamping its tourism strategy to reverse this trend.”

Case of Malawi

In February this year, South Africa-based Don Consultancy Group Chief Economist, Chifipa Mhango believed that “Malawi should also embrace fellow African countries, for they are the key countries of origin for international travellers/tourist into the country, and a key reminder that a tourist means a traveller”.

Revered Chief Economist Chifipa Mhango

On the tourism front, Mhango shared what was based on National Statistical Office (NSO) data of 2021 in which tourism contributed an estimated 7.7% to the GDP of Malawi, which received 431,999 international visitors in 2021 compared to 198,905 international visitors in 2020 representing 117.2% increase.

Total expenditure by international visitors in 2021 was K7.2 billion out of which K6.0 billion was spent by visitors who came for holiday — thus representing almost 83% of total expenditure.

“However, it would have added more value if data presented indicated expenditure patterns by country or region of origin,” he said. “Almost 71% of departing visitors, as per how data is captured, came to Malawi for work or business, and 23.7% to visit friends or relatives, while 5.5% visited for holiday.

“However, the data presented would have added more value if it indicated the reasons of travel by country or region of origin — Zambia (175,217) was the dominant it terms of country of origin, followed by Mozambique (125,915) and United Republic of Tanzania (84,955).

“For the markets outside Africa, Germany had the highest number of visitors (3,739) followed by India (1,778) and United Kingdom (855). It must be stated that, as per data from NSO, of the top 10 countries of origin in relation to international travellers/tourist to Malawi in 2021, eight are from African countries, and represent 90.9% of the visitor’s total number i.e that is almost 392,687 — with Zambia the highest as presented above and Nigeria being the least at 987.

“It will be interesting to dissect the reasons for travel into Malawi that dominate African visitors alone, or a conclusion as per overall reason above, could be work and business-related travel.

“What is compelling is that the number of international visitors to Malawi has declined significantly, from 2019 to 2021, from almost 801,500 to 431,999.

“It may be explained that CoVID-19 pandemic was the likely cause, as the 2020 number demonstrate a further drop to 198,905. So, one would assume the recovery process to reach back to the 2019 levels is on-going.

“What Malawi Tourism picture is also demonstrating is that most international travellers in Malawi use road transport at almost 68.4% of the total in 2021, while 31.2% use air transport with 0.1% water transport.

“The dominant age group of international travellers to Malawi are in the 35 to 49 years category, and the male population dominate 87.4% of total number of international visitors. Furthermore,44% of the total number of international travellers in Malawi use hotels /Inns/lodges for accommodation purposes.

“Again, such data could have also been presented by country or region of origin to inform a better marketing strategy for Malawi according to age and standard of accommodation.”

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Mhango thus offered recommendations to Malawi Government based on the above empirical evidence, that:

1. It is very clear that fellow African countries relationship is key in boosting international travel to Malawi, therefore, the Malawi Government policies must be seen to embrace such and foster a culture of engagement where there are challenges;

2. Malawi Government should put up more effort towards attracting holiday or vacation tourism, which is the key source of tourism expenditure into Malawi, thus at 83%, as data suggests.

While we applaud catalysts process of scrapping Visa for 79 countries’ international travellers into Malawi, so many factors are at play in destination motivation such as culture, architecture, gastronomy, infrastructure, landscape, events, shopping, etc.

These features attract people to the destination and contribute to the overall experience of the trip. The ultimate primary purpose of attractions is to attract the customer’s attention so that they can come to a specific location and explore the various attractions on vacation.

In the travel and tourism industry, attractions, therefore, play a particularly important role as this attracts tourists from all over the world. Hence, we see international travellers flocking into certain countries despite the high Visa fees or restrictions;

 

3. The collection of data on Tourism and Migration in Malawi must be done frequently so that all relevant data that informs the national strategy and policy development are captured by drawing on lessons of monthly reports of countries such as South Africa that put tourism at the core of its Economic Growth Strategy.

A categorized reason of international travel into Malawi by region would also add more value, so that there a clear link on the origins of most expenditure, as Holiday/vacation international travel dominates expenditure, and the same applies to origin by age group and Sex, mode of transport by country or region of origin etc.

Malawi Government Departments in overall should embrace and align with President Chakwera vision of ‘ATM’ by improving capacity in data collection and move towards a quarterly or monthly report publication as a target.

4. As travel by road is the dominant mode of transport for international travellers into Malawi at 68.4%, efforts should be made to regularly improve the physical infrastructure to world class standards for smooth border movement as well as road network and move towards an integrated port of entry digitalisation process for travellers. This would bring efficiency even to the data collection process;

5. Malawi Government must encourage and incentivise more development of world class accommodation infrastructure to cater for the anticipated increase in number international travellers into Malawi, to which data reflects 44% of the total in 2021 use Hotels/Lodges/Inn as accommodation.

Several incentives can be formulated here, for example the concentration Lake Shore development has been in Salima and Mangochi, yet there are best views in areas of Chiweta in Rumphi and Usisya in Nkhata Bay areas.

Government can then designate some of these unexploited areas with incentives such as any local private entity that develops a 5-Star standard hotel in these unexploited designated areas will have a tax break of, let’s say, three to five years during the first five years of operation.

That can then assist the private entity to either repay the loan or support in further reactional facilities development like cable rides to the hills of Chiweta like the Cape Town Table Mountain famous holiday tourist attraction.

In the longer run, Malawi Government will gain more towards international tourism expenditure and as the entity start paying its taxes, after the tax break period. Scenery or views is one the strongest attraction of holiday/vacation travellers or tourist.

Chiweta

6. On the dominance of African travellers, it must be openly stated that the impact of religious international travellers/tourists into Malawi is new area of interest that Malawi Government should capitalise on.

A proper co-ordination with religious leaders is key. Just December 2023 alone, I can guarantee that religious travellers or tourist was among the highest;

7. I would also suggest international travellers/tourist regular surveys especially for those coming to Malawi on holiday/vacation, to identify the main attraction so that the country can grow that base, which is the largest spending category but small in numbers at only 5.5% of the total international travellers into in 2021, and also to inform policy direction on improvements — said Mhango some 10 months ago.

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