President Chakwera Launches Tourism Investment Master Plan.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on April 4, 2022 officially launched a 20 year National Tourism Investment Master Plan with a call to attract foreign investors to maximize the potential of tourism industry in Malawi.
The launch which attracted players in the tourism industry, government officials and other stakeholders took
place in Lilongwe at Bingu International Convention Center (BICC).
Speaking at the launch, President Chakwera said that the National Tourism Investment Master Plan is a milestone
for increasing the country’s social and economic activities.
“Compelling Vision without a plan is nothing more than a pipe dream and that is why the completion of this tourism
master plan is a major milestone for our country,” he said.
Chakwera also urged people to change their mindset and begin to market Malawi outside the country for the plan to be successful.
“As government is making commendable strides to develop the tourism industry, let us all unite and market our country abroad to uplift tourism activities in Malawi,” he said.
The President further said that his government provides import duty free for furniture and catering services as incentives for tourism industry.
In his remarks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Michael Usi called on civil servants to embrace and support the plan, saying doing so will help the master plan to materialize and become a success.
An official at Blantyre museum Madalitso Phiri hailed the National Tourism Investment Master plan, saying it will help in reviving and improving tourism industry which has been hit by COVID-19 pandemic.
“We cannot say there is now good patronage from people visiting our site, many people are still shunning away owing to COVID-19 but we hope government will now put in place some measures that would help to overcome challenges associated with the tourism industry,” she said.
In a separate interview, Dalingson Lankeni Executive Director for Mboni Ndinu Lodge which is situated in the heart of Blantyre along Magalasi road begun by pleading with government to reduce business license fees, saying this will help them to maintain prices of their services and attract potential customers.
COVID-19 has paralyzed the business sector globally but I am happy to say that business is now picking up. However, I would like to implore government to consider us by reducing business license fees,” he explained.
Lankeni was, however, optimistic that he is confident that the National Tourism Investment Master Plan will make
Malawi become a tourist destination.
Malawi also known as the Warm heart of Africa has a variety of tourist attraction sites including Lake Malawi with beautiful beaches, national parks and game reserves and the famous Mulanje Mountain.
