Tourism Minister Vera Kantukule takes VisitMalawi to World Travel Market London 2023, challenges investors “Doors are open”
Malawi Minister of Tourism Vera Kantukule has appealed to the world to Visit Malawi to enjoy and appreciate what nature has to offer citing Lake Malawi which is a home to over 1,000 fish species only found in the country, further praising the resilience and cultural riches of an ever smiling “Warm Heart of Africa” people.
Kantukule who is leading a team of major players in the tourism sector such as Airport Development Limited (ADL), Malawi Gaming Board, Ministry of Tourism among others kicked off the VisitMalawi campaign on Friday last week at Malawi Tourism Investment Forum held at the InterContninetal Hotel Park Lane Mayfair.
“Malawi as a tourism destination has a lot to offer. We are a unique country endowed with so many natural features. Progress is being made everywhere with improvements in infrastructure development according to the Tourism Masterplan.
“Malawi should be your next investment destination. I invite you to come, our doors are open already, we just want you to walk in. We have a roadmap in the Malawi Vision 2063,” she said concurring with the Dr Thomas Bisika, Malawi High Commissioner to UK who addressed the investors earlier on.
A leading global travel publisher, The Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022 named Malawi as one of the top destinations for tourism “where visitors can see the Big Five of elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo without the pesky four-wheel-drive scrum so common in Africa’s best-known parks.”
A buoyant Victor Lungu, ADL Chief Executive Officer said that great strides are being made to enable easy access to Malawi from all directions of the earth hence the need for partnership with interested investors.
“Post Covid-19 pandemic, we are seeing rising numbers, bigger planes landing, and demand is very high such that some airlines are overbooked. I am appealing to interested investors to partner with us on our ambitious projects around Kamuzu International Airport, Chileka Airport, Likoma Airport, and others,” said Lungu sounding very positive of the future of travel to Malawi.
Making a presentation on behalf of Malawi Investment Trade Centre (MITC), Investment Attache Violet Leany said Malawi is the best place to invest as there is peace, security and thriving democracy with great people who are ready to welcome any investors.
“Malawi is ready to become the next biggest investment destination in the areas of Agriculture, Tourism and Mining because government reforms are removing the burdens and bottlenecks of doing business in the country,” Leany said.
There appeals from the Chairperson of the UK-Malawi Chamber of Commerce, Edgar Chibaka, that government must deal with corruption and blockers who are sabotaging President Lazarus Chakwera’s efforts to deliver on his promises to the Malawian people insinuating that some so called technocrats are apprentices.
“Honourable Minister, why are we here. I think we are here to look into your eyes and see the honesty and passion that the technocrats blacking the doors will be removed, that corruption will be removed and that the right people will be in the right positions because we wonder that some technocrats really are or mere apprentices.
“Honourable minister, I said this because some of our members have waited for almost 13 years for a license to be granted. Investors do not just look at one country,” bemoaned Chibaka.
The World Travel Market London 2023, held at the ExCel London is one of the world’s largest travel and tourism event and is expected to have around 4,000 exhibitors from 6-8th November.
The Tourism Investment Forum was moderated by Dyson Banda, Tourism Attaché at the Malawi High Commission in UK.
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