In Madagascar, tourism and air travel go hand in hand. They are today among the major victims of Covid-19. The main access to the island is by air, tourism for wealthy Malagasy people is not enough.
With a peak of 375,000 tourists in 2008 and another of 350,000 in 2019, Madagascar remains a modest tourist destination on a global scale. However, before the health crisis, the sector represented “7% to 10% of GDP, 44,000 direct jobs and 1,500,000 induced jobs [soit 6% de la population totale] », recall, in a tribune dated February 2, the Madagascar Business Group (GEM) and the Federation of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Madagascar.
PCR tests or vaccination record?
What conclusions can be drawn, after twelve months of pandemic? For the moment, tourists only have the right to land on the island of Nosy Be, with a ban on leaving, and must not come from countries classified as “at risk”, such as France or Belgium. traditionally among the largest providers of travelers.
According to the GEM, “90% of tourism employees are technically unemployed or without employment”, and “the sector lost, in 2020, more or less 460 million euros. » To bring travelers back, professionals are calling for the adoption of PCR tests, which would be carried out less than 24 hours before arrival, or the obligation to present a vaccination record.
Relaxing on the beaches, sports tourism, kitesurfing spots, hiking…
“Our goal is to maintain employment in the sector,” replies Joël Randriamandranto, the Minister of Tourism. We have implemented tax, social and other measures intended to facilitate access to credit. »
In general, travelers practice a tourism tour in Madagascar. “We want to communicate in new segments,” says the minister. Relaxing on our beaches or sports tourism. We have magnificent kitesurfing, hiking and trail spots. »
New airport
Finally, the minister recalls that very high-end hotels await travelers, like the Miavana, on the island of Ankao, where the American actor Tom Cruise would have come to spend vacation at the end of 2020.
On the ground, the opening of the capital’s new airport, supposed to accommodate between 1.5 and 1.8 million passengers per year, has been postponed. In 2016, the project was awarded to the Ravinala consortium (45% owned by Meridiam, 35% by Aéroports de Paris, 10% by Bouygues and 10% by Colas), which already manages Nosy Be international airport. That of Antananarivo would represent a total investment of 220 million euros, to be amortized over the twenty-six years of the concession.
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Although its construction is completed and its teams are ready, the executive is delaying its commissioning and wishes to review certain points of the contract negotiated by the previous government. The amount of the RDIA [redevance de développement des infrastructures aéroportuaires], in particular, blocks. This fee, of 41 euros for an international flight per passenger, would constitute the majority of Ravinala’s revenue. It is considered too high by the government.
In addition, the attributions of duty free markets, restaurants and stores of all kinds gave rise to fierce discussions. On these two questions, Joël Randriamandranto is nevertheless confident: “We will each take a step towards the other. »
Over the past two years, Air Madagascar has suffered losses of more than $60 million.
The minister and Patrick Collard, the general director of Ravinala, in any case agree on one point: it would be premature to open the airport now that world aviation is at a standstill. “The business plan expected a turnover of 35 million euros in 2020. We achieved less than a third of that,” explains Patrick Collard. On the other hand, for the benefit of the Malagasy State, the minimum annual fee remains 3 million euros.
For its part, the tourism sector is worried about the fate of the national company. It is often Air Madagascar, in fact, which offers the cheapest tickets from Europe, by direct flight. Issue : She is in a financial abyss.
“Over the last two years, while we were still in partnership with Air Austral, we suffered a loss of more than $60 million. We were also under the threat of a fine of 25 million dollars due to our dispute with Air France, relating to the rental of two A340s”, explains Mamy Rakotondraibe, the chairman of the board of directors (PCA) of the company.
Deleterious atmosphere
Since the withdrawal of Air Austral in the first half of 2020, a new business plan has been under study. It must see the light of day very soon, with a strategy that the PCA describes in broad terms: “Greater accessibility to domestic and regional flights on the one hand; the maintenance of profitable international lines, on the other hand.
The crisis due to Covid-19 led to a loss of 20 million euros for the year 2020, according to Mamy Rakotondraibe. This is less than in 2019. A pilot sums up this paradox: “Given the exorbitant cost of aircraft and crew rental contracts, the cost of compulsory maintenance in Cairo or Johannesburg, we lose less money when we born Don’t steal.” According to him, the “constant interference” of political power explains the making of unprofitable decisions.
Beyond the financial aspect, the company must reconcile its teams. According to several sources within management and among employees, there is a deleterious atmosphere there. Everyone distrusts everyone. In this perilous context, the company must find a new general director (the previous one resigned at the end of 2019). This appointment could restore a little optimism to all tourism professionals, deprived of prospects for almost of a year.
