Malawi bad for travel – Word Economic Forum report

Malawi, ironically often described as the Warm Heart of Africa, is bad for both travel and tourism in the world, with the air transport sector infrastructure as one of the worst in the world, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), an international think tank.

Malawi airports, KIA and Chileka are operating below standards
Malawi airports, KIA and Chileka are operating below standards
Lake Malawi destination for tourism
Lake Malawi destination for tourism

The 2015 WEF Travel and Tourism report released recently shows that, out of 141 economies that were surveyed for competitiveness, Malawi ranked 126, doing poorly on health and hygiene, air transport infrastructure, and tourist service infrastructure.

The Warm Heart of Africa endowed with a beautiful lake and rare flora and fauna, did relatively well on safety and security, price competitiveness, environmental sustainability and natural resources. Malawi scored an aggregate of 2.9 out of a possible seven.

Although analysts and stakeholders often look at tourism as one of the sectors that can save Malawi’s struggling economy and dependency on tobacco which is currently facing a bleak future in the wake of anti smoking campaigns, the country only manages to rake in meager amounts from the apparently lucrative sector.

According to the WEF report, Malawi earned about $34 million from 770 000 international tourists in 2013 supporting about 136 000 jobs.

However, neighbouring Zambia raked in $155 million from 915 000 international tourists, while Mozambique received $241 million from 1.9 billion international tourists, in 2013.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, earned $851 million from 1.8 billion international tourists in the same year, according to the report.

Regardless of the importance of the sector and its underutilisation in Malawi, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe presenting next year’s proposed budget  which is pegged at about K902 billion, hardly mentioned the sector.

However, the Economic Recovery Plan (ERP) a Malawi government economic blueprint, launched in 2012, notes that topromote the industry, the government will undertake in product development, tourism marketing and promotion, and institutional reform and capacity development.

Tourism analysts, however note that  the country has a number of challenges that relate to tourism including limited financial resources which makes it impossible to market Malawi aggressively calling on the improvement on the facilitation of visitors such as visa costs and availability and procedures.

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Chatsalira
Chatsalira
8 years ago

This is what Mr Chikadya, the outgoing Chairman of Sunbird Hotels Limited was lamenting about.

VIYAZI TEMBO
VIYAZI TEMBO
8 years ago

SHEBEX! UKUSEKA?

Shebex
Shebex
8 years ago

Kikikiiiiii koma @ Manjolow kukwiya kumeneku nkhani yake yomweyiiii? Eeee mtampeza ameneyu nde mungamchekecheketuuu. 1.9billion international tourists, Zimbabwe alone! Oh my foot!’ Nyasa times editors wake up plz!

JCInLA
JCInLA
8 years ago

Too many taxes are killing businesses in Malawi.
You have very stupid taxes, tourism, mra,kuphwisa, kunyera( just to name a few). Where are the businesses going to get all this money from?
Our tax laws must change and corruption must indeed STOP!

Kadakwiza
Kadakwiza
8 years ago

So what you ngurus, khokholas are worried about is Chileka and KIA, what about Mzuzu airport? These ngurus and khokholas are boring serious.

matako
matako
8 years ago

Malawi has always missed great opportunity in attracting tourists which is a great forex earner. Our president is busy trying to find a way to loot our resources. Tourism is one of the fastest industries in developing countries. In Malawi we have beautiful weather, and natural resources , great lake and game reserves that can bring in twice what Mozambique got. What we lack in this country are leaders with vision. leaders that love this country instead of filling their pockets.

Funso
Funso
8 years ago

Malawi’s tourist industry is on a par with the rest of its economy. Anyone visiting needs to know and accept that.

manjolow
manjolow
8 years ago

ohh – but the statistics stink in this report. Who is WEF anyway – mukungopeka ma report eti? 1.9 billion visitors to Zimbabwe – shaaaaa. Not even the New York or London can handle that – does the writer know the population of the world? Worse yet – what % of that population can travel at all?
Shupiti ndi nkhani zauchindere – machende ako

Ine DPP Muhlakho wa Baba

VIYAZI TEMBO
VIYAZI TEMBO
8 years ago

CALL IT CHILEKA AIR STRIP NOT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MY FOOT…….

Hoitty
Hoitty
8 years ago

Kodi ku Malawi anatipatsa design ya ma bus depot ndani? Zoona bus depot yomangidwa 2014 mdakamangabe style yake ngati zigafa za fodya? Kuona lu town komwe mmakupopa ku BT ndi LL depot zao ngati ..mxi ndilibe chofanizila.. Nde akuti akumanga minibus terminal kumibawa… zoona imene ija terminal yamtauni?? A Malawi kutsalira chonsecho anthu a ku city amayenda mayiko a kunja kumaona ma bus terminal abwino koma osaphunzirapo kanthu. ku mibawa komweko misika ya kholowa kulibe bin loko imodzi. LL bus terminal mmmh ati capital city. Chonchobe. Kodi themberero lake anachita kulikwirira pansi pa nyanja? Malaqi woyeeee.

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