The high tourist season is looking good this year. All the players working in this sector, which provides jobs and foreign exchange to the nation, benefit from it.
“ The number of reservations from tourists who have confirmed their trips to Madagascar, especially for this month of October, has increased this time, compared to the level recorded in recent years. It is difficult to find accommodation for travelers who confirm their reservations one to two months in advance given that all establishments are full in several destinations to name only Andasibe and Morondava “. The vice-president of the association of travel agencies of Madagascar, Bakomalala Nirinalijao, who is also the manager of “Go Travel”, mentioned this during a meeting with the press yesterday. “ The majority of customers came to the country via Ethiopian Airlines or Kenya Airways. The opening of our airspace with the arrival of the Emirates airline can only have positive economic benefits for the 2025 schedule since it is still very new “, she continued.
Group tourists. Speaking about the nationalities of travelers who choose the destination Madagascar during this high season, this tourism professional noted that most of them come from Eastern Europe, notably Slovakia and Romania. “ Tunisian tourists are also starting to take an interest in the Big Island, without forgetting English speakers who advocate responsible and sustainable tourism while being concerned about the protection of our biodiversity, particularly wildlife. In total, tourists are currently coming in groups of 18 people on average but we are also recording reservation confirmations for couples or groups of 3 to 4 people. “, she continued. Regarding the tourist products that attract them in particular, the vice-president of the association of travel agencies of Madagascar argued that the Alley of the Baobabs in Morondava constitutes a comparative advantage of our destination. “ This site has a great international reputation. This is why it is called a flagship product attracting tourists from all corners of the world to come to the country. The visit from Nosy Iranja to Nosy-Be also interests them, without forgetting the southern destination which has a great cultural diversity passing through the Isalo national park while being favorable to discovery tourism “, she explained.
Challenges to overcome. Furthermore, some recognize that tourism and crafts constitute two interdependent sectors. Tourists do not return home without bringing some souvenirs from the Big Island. “ They are particularly fond of wild silk fabrics, decorative aluminum items and artisanal products made from raffia. They also like to wear clothes printed in the national language », according to Bakomalala Nirinalijao. Thanks to the warm welcome of the Malagasy population and the professionalism of the actors operating in tourism, she testifies that more than 60% of the issuing tour operators working with her agency remain loyal by always bringing customers to Madagascar. Despite all this, there are still challenges to overcome to develop this sector which provides jobs and foreign exchange to the nation. These include the problem of air connectivity at the domestic network level and the high price of plane tickets. “ This has an impact on the prices of the package offered to customers. In addition, tourists traveling in groups are forced to take the land route while the state of our road network leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, the diversification of the tourist offer makes it possible to circumvent this situation in order to better satisfy them during their stay in Madagascar. “, she concluded.
Navalona R.
