We are not called the Warm Heart of Africa for nothing ! Over and above our natural endowments , the smiles and stories behind our people will change anybody ’ s life forever , and that , is why everybody must visit Malawi at least once in their lifetime .
Why do you think this is so and what is Malawi doing to grow their local tourist numbers that other countries can learn from ?
The propensity to travel goes with the income available for people to visit various attractions . We are changing the narrative to encourage more Malawians to travel and appeal to operators to offer competitive and affordable rates to locals . In this regard therefore , we shall soon be launching a massive domestic tourism campaign for everyone .
When you look at the market for tourists what are the dynamics and are there any changes that have taken place in the last 5 years ? Are there new emerging markets that have potential but are ‘ orphaned ’ as we call it in marketing ?
Yes , we want to target the niche markets such as birding , botanical tours , adventure travel and others which we believe are attracting high spending travelers . We continue to look out for tourist ’ s preferences as they travel and encourage investors to offer packages and develop itineraries and products that are befitting for the lucrative segments . We also want to explore other forms of tourism ; religious , culinary , sports , food , culture etc . to help shift away from the traditional focus on wildlife and nature .
What were the effects of Covid-19 and how has Malawi navigated this ? How is the ongoing recession affecting demand ? What about tropical cyclone Freddy ?
Covid-19 dealt a big blow to the industry and we are just recovering from it now . A lot of people lost their jobs in the sector as operators were forced to scale down or even close shop completely . I am happy to say that things are turning for the better now . However , the Malawi case is different in that we just recently also experienced the tropical cyclone ‘ Freddy ’ which has resulted
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We are not called the Warm Heart of Africa for nothing ! Over and above our natural endowments , the smiles and stories behind our people will change anybody ’ s life forever , and that , is why everybody must visit Malawi at least once in their lifetime .
in the loss of over 1,000 Malawians , and has caused untold damage to property and livelihoods . So , in essence , the double tragedy will take time to recover and that requires a coordinated approach from all stakeholders . This also means the role of tourism in the economy cannot be over emphasized under our circumstances and the role it plays in the economy and improving livelihoods .
In your podcast you mention a three prolonged approach to ensuring growing tourism numbers : accessibility , safe connectivity and service , could you kindly elaborate on this ?
We want to improve our service delivery in the sector and work with staff at our ports of entry so that visitors are welcomed well as their conduct is the first experience our visitors will have with our country . It is therefore imperative for us that we are all on the same page on the delivery of a warm hearted experience for our visitors throughout their stay .
There are those who believe that in attracting tourists one has to choose between two strategies ; either approach it as a ‘ high margin low volume product ’ or a ‘ low margin high volume product ’? What is your take on this ?
Our approach is to encourage low-volume and high-value tourists and our product development strategy guides us on this . Focusing on niche markets is key and our Government is actively taking that route .
When you assumed office are there things from a strategic perspective that you want done differently to achieve the Government objective of bringing more visitors to Malawi ?
Government has systems and guidelines and I am a firm believer that we all work toward the set Government agenda and I ’ ll strive to make the Department deliver on its mandate . I believe cultivating a healthy working relationship with the industry stakeholders and the team here shall make our tourism grow and thrive . Focus on the master goal never changes , even though strategies to achieving the goal may need re-tweaking overtime .
Any parting shots ?
Malawi should be on everyone ’ s bucket list as it offers a complete package of what Africa has . We are ready to welcome those from outside Malawi and I want every Malawian , young and small to take part in selling our warm heart brand . For that to happen however , Malawians must first experience their own country . We are blessed beyond measure , but we will never appreciate it if we cannot experience it first hand .
My very humble appreciation to Marketing Africa for according me the opportunity to share our sojourn in your prestigious publication .
This story was pieced together by the Marketing Africa editorial crew led by Robert Wamai . For feedback or any more discourse please drop us a line at : Info @ marketingafrica . co . ke .