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Investing in tourism for sustainable development—P2

Malawi tourism and the burden of climate change—P27

Reflecting on World Tourism Day—28

27 sePTeMbeR 2017

Special pullout the NatioN 27, September 2017

Investing in tourism for sustainable development

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special essay by CHRIsTOPHeR NHLANe, News Analyst

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recently adopted 2017 as the

international year of sustainable tourism for development. This underscores the closest link existing between tourism, through its three key dimensions o f e conomic , soc i a l and environmental sustainability and the development of both global and national economies.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), which is one of the United Nations (UN) arms responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, tourism is currently one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world, and is also the third largest global export industry after chemicals and fuels.

In Malawi, the sector remains the third largest foreign exchange earner after tobacco and tea. A 2015 National Statistics Office (NSO) report, for example, indicates that that year alone, the industry contributed over K220 billion towards the country’s economy which represents 7.2

The following are institutions and organisations that are raising the bar in sustainable tourism:

HOT INSTITUTIONS

percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). In contrast though, a 2017 Travel and Tourism Economic Impact report released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) suggests that the industry’s direct contribution towards the GDP in 2016 was at K138 billion, representing 3.4 percent of the GDP. It is expected to rise by 4.9 percent in the next decade, according to the report.

WTTC is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of travel and tourism.

Therefore, the impact of tourism on Malawi’s development can never be overemphasised,

hence the need for government and other stakeholders to swiftly identify workable strategies that can help in uplifting the status quo of this revolutionary tool in the country.

Apart from just improving economic growth, especially in countries where it is well-embraced, the UN further suggests that tourism has a direct bearing on all its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim at improving the quality of people’s lives, strengthening environmental protection and safeguarding cultural heritage in countries like Malawi.

A glimpse of the local tourismMalawi may not have the best

world-class tourism gems in the world, but still remains a force to reckon with as far as global endowment of luxurious tourism attraction sites is concerned. For instance, the country has a large pack of wildlife and vegetation (flora and fauna), as well as other forms of leisure, including adventure and cultural attraction which offer historic experiences to visitors who come to appreciate the nation’s beauty.

Other key tourism spots in the country include Nyika National Park in Rumphi District which is the country’s biggest sanctuary of wild plant and animal species, as well as home to the biggest population of leopards and zebras, among others. Lake Malawi, Africa’s third and the world’s ninth biggest lake, is another darling for travellers who come from Africa and beyond. The fresh water lake meanders across the country’s three regions and home to a variety of marine species such as the popular and ever-delicious

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1. beach Villa

2. Crossroads

3. Dorvic Hotel

4. Globe Internet

5. Grace bandawe

6. Hotel Masongola

7. Huccess

8. Kasungu Inn

9. Grand palace

10. Lilongwe Worldlife Trust

11. Mafumu Lodge

12. Woodlands

13. Ministry of Tourism

14. Riverside Hotel

15. sana Food Court

16. simama Hotel

17. skyband

18. sunbird

19. Umodzi Park

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Tourism began on July 5, 1841 when Thomas Cook organised a trip from Market Harborough to Loughborough for a temperance meeting.

The word “tourist” has been in use since 1760 for individuals travelling for recreation.

l Tourism accounts for five percent of the world’s economy.

Mulanje mountain has become a tourist attraction

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“We want more hotels built in the county, hence this waiver to ensure that investors,

both local and international, build standard hotels and lodges. We also believe that this

will prevent increases in hotel tariffs.”

Chambo fish. In the Southern Region,

there is Mulanje Mountain which offers a dose of relief to all holiday-makers who adore mountaineering adventures.

But more significantly, the 17 million Malawians are the country ’s own biggest tourism asset – always smiling, cheerful and welcoming. No wonder the country, fondly known as the Warm Heart of Africa is widely known for conveying friendliness even to strangers.

T h e i n d u s t r y ’ s challenges and global trends

Although government continues to take so much delight in Malawi’s “thriving” tourism industry, the country continues to slide down on the list of countries dominating the global rankings for both tourism and poverty.

A Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) report released recently by the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranks Malawi on position 123 out of 136 world economies that were measured for competitiveness in 2016. This report also rates Malawi disappointingly on some of the world’s key tourism benchmarks namely air transport infrastructure, health and hygiene and tourist service infrastructure.

Over the years, Malawi has clearly failed to register tangible improvements in the above targets and it does not come as a surprise. According to the report, last year, the Warm Heart of Africa earned over K260 billion and hosted over 800 000 international tourists thereby creating over 200 000 jobs in the proces.

As indicated by the WEF report, Malawi, which was ranked farthest 126 out of 141 global economies measured in the previous assessment edition of 2015, also scored a recurrent total aggregate of 2.9 out of seven points just like the preceding score sheet two years ago

Nevertheless, the report

Toursim can benefit the countrypage 2

commends Malawi for performing well in other key points of reference such as safety and security, international openness and business environment. The country also scored remarkably well on price competitiveness compared to some Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) countries l ike Botswana where tourism rates are fairly higher.

However, economic experts largely attribute M a l a w i ’ s c o n t i n u e d underdevelopment to competitive rates which, they argue, negatively affects tangible investments for boosting the sector.

Speaking to The Nation in an earlier interview, C h a n c e l l o r C o l l e g e economics professor Ben Kalua suggested that tourism rates should be revised to enable government and other stakeholders facelift the industry’s infrastructure.

He said: “Tourism is not a small sector as often perceived in Malawi. This sector has helped a lot of economies [to grow]

including the United States of America.”

According to the WEF Tr a v e l a n d To u r i s m Competitiveness Report of 2017, Spain currently leads the global tourism rankings followed by France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States of America, while South Africa leads the sub-Saharan regional ranking and is on position 53 in the world.

Incentives for the sectorDespite the challenges

the local tourism industry f a c e s , t h e M a l a w i government continues in its quest to identify practical strategies that could overturn the industry ’s misery for the better. For

instance, government has of late introduced a number of incentives aimed at boosting the sector’s growth and these include a decision by the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) to remove duty on all building materials for all hotel, lodge and inn proprietors with a room capacity of 50 and above in order to improve the standard of infrastructure in the industry.

In a separate interview, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe disclosed that the motive behind MRA’s decision to remove duty on selected hospitality industry players was to

boost investment and reduce costs on hotel fees.

He said: “We want more hotels built in the county, hence this waiver to ensure that investors, both local and international, build standard hotels and lodges. We also believe that this will prevent increases in hotel tariffs.”

In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) earlier this year ahead of the National Assembly’s passing of the 2017/18 National Budget, President Peter Mutharika expressed h is adminis t ra t ion ’s commitment to developing the tourism sector to effectively contribute to the sustainable economic growth of the country.

Among others, Mutharika cited the introduction of the Tourism Marketing Strategy which seeks to market Malawi locally, regionally and internationally to increase direct tourism investment to K50 billion annually.

Government recently a lso establ ished the Wildlife Investigation Unit to help fight rising cases of encroachments and poaching besides restocking some sanctuaries like Nkhotakota Game Reserve with about 260 elephants to increase tourist patronage.

H o w e v e r, a s a b l y suggested by UNGA, Malawi will go on moving in circles and continue realising insignificant returns from the tourism sector unless it starts to embrace tourism as an engine for sustainable economic growth. One of the ways to attain such a goal is by investing more in the tourism industry to facelift the structures such as roads and hotels for improved service provision and to meet internationally set benchmarks. n

Different types of animals are found in Nyika National Park

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Special pullout the NatioN 27, September 2017 5


Um o d z i P a r k , a world-class f ive-s t a r h o t e l a n d

conferencing destination located in the heart of Lilongwe, is celebrating two outstanding years of achievement in the Malawian hospital i ty industr y. The resort has not only become a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l entertainment and event hub since its official opening in 2015, but has also made a series of valuable contributions to the development of the Malawian tourism industry and the local economy at large.

“We’ve experienced tremendous growth in the past two years, and the hotel has become one of the country ’s main attractions for business and leisure travellers alike,” says Derick Van der Nest “Thanks to the resort’s world-class venues and facilities, Lilongwe

Umodzi Park celebrates two years of hospitality successnow has the appropriate facilities to host highly successful events on a national and international scale.”

Scores of people visited the complex in 2016, including 1,219 VIPs. Some of the notable VIPs who visited Umodzi Park include the president of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, Mozambican president Fi l ipe Nyusi , former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete, and President of World Bank, Makhtar Diop.

The resort’s Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre (BICC) boasts opulent conference venues and convention f a c i l i t i e s wh i ch c an comfortably accommodate groups of various sizes and offers parking for up to 2,500 cars. An impressive 768 conferences were booked at Umodzi Park in 2016 a lone , wi th other large-scale events

including international singing sensation Joss Stone, who performed at the Magnificent Lilongwe Auditorium, Nigerian comedian Basket Mouth, and popular South African band, Micasa.

The BICC has also b e c o m e t h e o f f i c i a l v e n u e f o r n a t i o n a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l

p a r l i a m e n t a r y a n d governmental meetings, and Umodzi Park has been home to the Malawi Investment Trade Forum since 2015, and hosted the Africa Land Forces Summit in 2017

“Umodz i Pa rk has set a new benchmark for Malawi’s hospitality industry and has provided

efficient and contemporary convention facilities for dignitar ies , business executives and foreign guests visiting Malawi’s capital city,” says Derick Van der Nest “From its five-star accommodation, r e s t a u r a n t s a n d entertainment facilities to premium conferencing capabilities, Umodzi Park

has become the premiere destination for travellers all over the world.”

C o m m u n i t y development and job creation have also been ke y f o c u s a r e a s f o r the resort, with a core objective being to ensure sustainable development is achieved within the local community – Umodzi Park currently

employs 236 people from Lilongwe and various other parts of the country, and looks forward to increasing this number in coming years.

The resort has also introduced educational programmes designed to empower Malawian youth with the skills they need to pursue sustainable careers in the hospitality industry. For instance, Umodzi Park offers a four to six month internship

Peermont owns or manages 13 casino and hotel properties in South Africa, Botswana and Malawi, including:

In South Africa, Peermont owns and manages; Emperors Palace Hotel Casino Convention and Entertainment Resort, Johannesburg; Graceland Hotel Casino and Country Club, Secunda; Frontier Inn & Casino, Bethlehem; Umfolozi Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, Empangeni; Rio Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, Klerksdorp; Khoroni Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, Thohoyandou; Mmabatho Palms Hotel Casino and Convention Resort in Mafikeng, Thaba Moshate Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, Burgersfort. In Botswana, Peermont owns and manages The Grand Palm Hotel Casino and Convention Resort, the Gaborone

International Convention Centre and the Mondior Hotel in Gaborone; the Metcourt Hotel and Sedibeng Casino in Francistown. In Lilongwe, Malawi, Peermont also manages the Umodzi Park business precinct which includes the President Walmont Hotel, the Bingu Wa Mutharika International Convention Centre (BICC) and the Presidential Villas.

AboUT PeermonT

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ADVeRTORIAL


Know Hotel MasongolaHo t e l M a s o n g o l a i s

Malawi’s most historic hotel. It was built in 1886

as the official residence of the British consul A.J Hawes. It was later occupied by the first Governor of Nyasaland, Sir Harry Johnson between 1891 and 1901. After 1901, it was used as temporary accommodation for senior colonial officers prior to provision of permanent housing. It opened its doors to other government officers and the general public when additional rooms were added in 1949. It then began to be known as the Government Hostel.

Af t e r Independence in 1964 the Government Hostel provided accommodation to members of Parliament when Parliament was in session. This continued until Parliament moved from Zomba to Lilongwe in 1994.

During the government’s pr ivat isat ion programme, G o v e r n m e n t H o s t e l w a s acquired in 2001 by a consortium of four Malawians and it was renamed Hotel Masongola. The name Masongola was given by the local people when it was built in 1886. The word means “the points”, referring to the hexagonal towers with window slits at either end of the main structure.

The hotel has 50 rooms and two serviced flats. The lounge is the original “drawing room” and is located near the restaurant and a bar which is open to both residents and non-residents.

Hotel Masongola is a highly sort after conference centre providing air condit ioned conferencing halls and rooms. Al l conference rooms are supported with necessary conferencing facilities and equipment.

Meals are served in the historic restaurant or in the serene gardens under the mibawa trees surrounded with sounds of birds and offering a superb view of Zomba Mountain.

The hotel is located along Livingstone Road opposite the Old Parliament buildings. Its location is ideal for people from all walks of life, whether international, corporate or public. From the hotel, tourists can easily visit many places of interest within Zomba town or neighbouring districts like Mulanje mountain, Liwonde National Park, Lake Malawi National Park, Lake Chilwa Wetlands and Blantyre City

historic buildings.A Slave CaravanZomba has a rich political

h i s to r y hav ing been the adminis t ra t ive cap i ta l o f the British Protectorate of Nyasaland. It was chosen as a convenient place to monitor and eradicate the slave trade which was rampant in those days. In addition, the site had temperate climate as well as other physical attraction.

Zomba Mountain PlateauThe hotel is located in Zomba

within the Shire Highlands of the Southern Region of Malawi. Zomba is 69 Kilometres (KM) from Blantyre, the commercial capital of Malawi to the South West and it is 122 Km to Mangochi on the shores of Lake Malawi to the north.

Zomba City lies at the foot of the Zomba Mountain Plateau which is 2 085 metres above sea level.

The town was the colonial capital of Nyasaland for over 70 years until 1964. As a result, Zomba boasts of many impressive European style buildings. The architecture is of British, Dutch and German traditions.

Accommodation“Comfort and staying in

style”Hotel Masongola is the

largest hotel in Zomba offering affordable comfort. The hotel boasts of 51 rooms and two

serviced flats. All are self-contained double rooms with satellite television. In addition, all rooms have international direct telephone and internet facilities.

The sunny garden rooms overlook the main lawn and the historic botanic gardens first laid out by Sir Harry Johnson and later by Alexander Whyte.

There is a courtesy entrance to the gardens for the use of Hotel Masongola guests. Meals can be served in rooms or in rooms’ own lounges facing the scenic gardens with views of Zomba Plateau.

C u i s i n e ( L o c a l a n d international dishes)

“The luxury of taste”

Enjoy every meal in the historic atmosphere of our restaurant. The restaurant is the same room that the governors of Nyasaland dined. Alternatively, you can take your meals in the serene garden with bird sounds under mibawa trees overlooking the glorious gardens with a superb view of Zomba Mountain.

The restaurant offers a range of local and international d i s h e s . L o c a l d i s h o n Wednesdays and Fr idays . Equally, we accommodate corporate functions, family and other social gatherings. Functions can be held in our conference rooms or in outdoor pavilions.

Conferencing at hotel masongola

Hotel Masongola is the first call in Zomba for conferencing. All our conference rooms are air conditioned and are fully serviced with all necessary fac i l i t ies , equipment and services.

Depending on size of the meeting, you can choose to use our three different conference halls which can accommodate 120 delegates or one large outdoor pavilion which can a ccommodate up to 300 delegates or our Board room for small meetings. n

Front View of Hotel Masongola

l Malawi’s most historic hotel

l It was built in 1886

l The building was the official residence of the first governor of Nyasaland, Sir Harry Johnson

l The late Dr kamuzu Banda’s first office as president of Malawi was at Hotel Masongola

l It was built by the founder of Zomba-John Buchanan

l It was built to abolish

FACTS AboUT HoTeL mASonGoLAslave trade in Zomba and meetings were held at Hotel Masongola

l It was declared by government as a national monument

l Surrounded by friendly monkeys

l Natural heritage

l Mountainous, quiet, serene gardens

l 3 conference halls, Sir Harry bar and a historic restaurant

l It has 50 accommodation rooms

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ADVeRTORIAL


For more information on the Peermont Group and all its exciting offerings, visit www.peermont.com. Connect with Peermont on Facebook or follow @peermont.

Peermont Group: A place of excellenceprogramme in partnership with the Malawi Institute of Tourism, providing MIT students with the oppor tun i t y to ga in prac t i ca l hosp i ta l i t y experience at its five-star President Walmont Hotel and at the world-c l a s s B I C C . S i n c e its launch in 2015, 75 students have benefited from participating in t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e internship programme, with 10 interns offered employment at the resort.

I n a d d i t i o n , t h e establishment of Umodzi Park has made a significant

positive impact on local tour ism. Along with introducing much-needed conferencing facilities able to accommodate international and regional conferences in world-class style, the launch of a five-star hotel has challenged Malawi’s current industry, shedding light on areas for potential improvement within the hospitality industry.

“S ince i t s o f f i c i a l opening, there has been increased attention on the level of service delivery, structural development and the need for improvement in Malawi’s hospitality industry,” says Derick Van

der Nest “Industry players are seeing the need to up their game to take Malawi to greater heights in terms of its tourism offer.”

Looking to the future, Derick says that Umodzi Park plans to maintain and build its reputation for excellent service delivery in all areas of business, and keeping its brand promise of five-star luxury and world-class experiences.

“Umodzi Park wi l l also continue to explore opportunities for new business to extend its loyal base of clientele. As always, we endeavour to engage with travellers, stakeholders and the local community to continue meeting and exceeding the needs of all our guests,” says Derick Van der Nest. n

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Since its official opening, there has been increased attention on the level of service delivery, structural

development and the need for improvement in Malawi’s hospitality

industry

ADVeRTORIAL


Sustainable development: Key to tourism survival—UNThe United Nations

Wo r l d To u r i s m O r g a n i s a t i o n

(UNWTO) has stated that tourism is key to sustainable environmental conservation and protection. It made the statement in a discussion paper released ahead of the

ERIC MTEMANG’OMBENEws ANAlysT

2017 International year of Tourism for Sustainable Development. In the paper, UNWTO says the

long-term survival of the tourism sector depends on its capacity to conserve the natural environment.

“ T o u r i s m h a s multifaceted impacts on the natural environment, just as environmental

considerations have a significant bearing on sus ta inab le tour i sm development in the short and long-term. As a sector which depends so much on the natural environment, tourism has a special responsibility towards the planet, with an impetus to harness this dependency as a means of promoting conservation,” reads part of the paper.

UNWTO says natural e n v i r o n m e n t i s a n invaluable resource to the tourism sector due to the interdependence that exists between tourism and the natural environment.

“ T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between tourism and the natural environment is complex. On the one hand, tourism depends –

directly and tangibly – on natural assets. It is a sector which gains immeasurably from the world’s natural resources, its diverse ecosystems and its rich biodiversity. Ultimately, a quality environment is the natural capital of tourism destinations, with the income from tourism providing the financial return from investment in that capital,” the paper reads.

The body called on all member States to implement policies that incorporate careful environmental protection with creative opportunities to promote the sustainable use and management of ecosystems w h i l e s u p p o r t i n g t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ’ s conservation. n

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Tourism Department in Northern Region has pledged to train the youth on how they can sustain the country ’s tourism attraction centres.

S p e a k i n g i n a n in t e r v i ew, Nor the rn Region tourism officer Michael Chigaga said youths are critical to the growth of the industry.

He said the youth can neither contribute nor sustain the sector without adquate knowledge on how it operates.

“We have to train our youths on how they can sustain tourism attraction cent res because the products that we have are the same. If we have five game reserves and one well known mountain in Mulanje, they will remain the same. There is need to train the youths on how to sustain these tourism products,” said Chigaga.

He advised that as hosts, Malawians need to be patriotic and desist

Tourism Department target the youthBERNARD MHONEMANA

from copying foreign cultures.

He said the tendency could dilute the Malawian culture.

T h e T o u r i s m D e p a r t m e n t i n t h e region will be conducting awareness meetings on the importance of tourism in the country’s development and economy.

The meetings will be conducted in Mzuzu, Nkhata Bay and Rumphi, districts that are regarded as the tourism hubs in the region. n

Chigaga: Youth are critical

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Tourists are able to have fun in a conducive environment

Tourists travel to distant places for recreation

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also lost out on the jobs that could have been created by revamping the tourism sector to attract more tourists in the country.

Tourism’s potential as a tool for inclusive growth should be of special interest to Malawi. For a country with over 80 percent of the people living on less than a dollar a day, promoting inclusive growth should be a top priority. As recently as a month ago, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was on record stating that the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and corresponding government policies have failed to promote inclusive growth throughout its implementation period. Perhaps time is ripe for Malawi to start exploring alternatives to complement the country and its development partners’ noble cause for promoting inclusive growth.

There is strong need to approach this period of self-examination with a critical mind and sobriety and re-examine tourism’s potential in improving the lives of the 14 million plus people living way below the poverty line. Tourism presents an ideal opportunity for Malawi because it can bring development even to those living in remote areas.

Tourism offers significant opportunities as a tool for development, given the sector’s substantial size, contribution to international trade, rapid growth and linkages to other sectors through tourism value chain. Opportunit ies a lso abound given the prospects it offers for women and youth; its relative importance for developing States, rural areas and indigenous communities.

While UNWTO concedes that tourism cannot be automatically assumed to alleviate poverty, it has to be noted that it is well-placed to contribute to poverty reduction given the low skills requirements for entry-level positions and the prospects it offers for small-scale entrepreneurs to pursue new activities or formalise existing micro ventures. The sheer scale of the complex tourism value chain presents significant opportunities for genera t ing backward and forward linkages which can engage local micro, small and medium-sized enterpr ises (MSMEs).

Tourism: The economy boosterpage 24

Tourism’s potential as a tool for inclusive growth should be of special interest to Malawi. For a country with over 80 percent of the people living on less than a dollar a day, promoting inclusive

growth should be a top priority

In a country where the majority of the population has on ly a h igh - s choo l level education, creating local businesses will go a long way in uplifting the living standards of those living on the fringes of our society. With the number of international tourists set to increase from 1.2 billion in 2016 to 1.8 billion in 2030, the time is ripe to start thinking of ways to harness the potential of our natural heritage sites and capitalise on the growth of our underutilised tourism sector in uplifting the lives of the marginalised in our beautiful nation.

It is time to start living up to our status as the Warm Heart of Africa. n

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Tourism has long been publicised as a viable enterprise in promoting

e c o n o m i c g r o w t h a n d development on a global scale. As such, 2017, as International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development is a defining moment for making tourism a catalyst for positive change. It has been earmarked as the year of soul-searching and contemplation as the rest of world aspires to enhance tourism as a strategic driver of economic change.

The tourism sector’s appeal lies in its inherent capacity to contribute to al l three dimensions of sustainable deve lopment—economic , social and environment as well as each of the 17 Sustainable Deve lopment Goa ls . The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) sees a lot of potential in the tourism s e c t o r f o r s p e a r h e a d i n g growth as well as improving the quality of people’s lives.

Accord ing to UNWTO, tourism offers signif icant opportunities as a tool for d e v e l o p m e n t , g i v e n t h e sector ’s substant ia l s ize , contribution to international t r ade , r ap id g rowth and connection to other sectors through the tourism value chain. Opportunities also abound given the prospects it offers for women and youth; its relative importance for developing States, rural areas and indigenous communities.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests a very strong correlation between growth in the tourism sector and sustainable economic growth. The intricate nexus between tourism and economic growth should not dissuade us from appreciating the potential financial contributions that tourism can make to our ‘ailing’ national economy. Whether economic growth is tourism led or not, we cannot ignore the immense contribution that tourism makes to the global economy.

Accord ing to s ta t i s t i cs r e l e a s e d b y U N W T O , tourism contr ibuted over $ 7 . 1 7 0 t r i l l i o n t h r o u g h direct, indirect and induced contributions. International tour i sm genera ted $ 1 .5 trillion in exports in 2015, equivalent to 7 percent of all global exports in goods and services and 30 percent of exports in services alone – making tourism the world’s

Tourism: A tool for inclusive economic growth

ERIC MTEMANG’OMBENEws ANAlysT

third largest export category. Tourism is a leading export sector in many developing States and least developed countries (LDCs). In fact, tourism was a key sector in 45 of the surveyed LDCs.

The figures make for a very impressive reading, but what is more encouraging is that the tourism sector is in a state of

long-term sustainable growth. Tourism’s contribution to the global economy has grown by one percentage point from six to seven percent between 2016 and 2017. International tourist arrivals have increased from 25 million globally in 1950 to 278 million in 1980, 674 million in 2000 and 1 235 million in 2016. Likewise, international

tourism receipts earned by destinations worldwide have surged from $ 2 billion in 1950 to $104 billion in 1980, $495 billion in 2000, and $ 1 220 billion in 2016. Overall, tourism has grown faster than world trade for the past five years.

While tourism is growing on a global scale, Malawi

seems to be lagging behind. It is ironic that a country that presents itself to the world as the Warm Heart of Africa cannot keep up in a hospitality based industry. While the rest of the world was celebrating a 3.3 percent increase in global tourism arrivals, Malawi’s figures actually declined to -1.7 percent. The number of overnight international guests went down from 819 000 in 2015 to 805 000 in 2016.

While the rest of the world is making money out of its natural heritage, Malawi is losing bi l l ions of kwacha due to her failure to attract tourists. The finances are just a fraction of what the country has missed out on. We have

Tourism brings the much needed forex

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While the rest of the world is making money out of its natural heritage,

Malawi is losing billions of kwacha due to her failure to attract tourists

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FeATURes


namely Machinga, Phalombe and Zomba districts which contr ibute to f luctuat ing r a i n f a l l p a t t e r n s a n d subsequent changes in lake levels.

Apart from changing the level and quality of water ( through contaminat ion) as we l l as damaging the vegetation all of which form part of the key resources for our tourism industry, climate change impacts reduce the number o f i n t e rna t iona l tourists once they hear stories about natural calamities like floods devastating the country.

Again, Malawi has witnessed a series of droughts resulting in changes in rainfall patterns wh i ch i s a l so connec ted to human act iv i t ies such as wanton destruct ion of vegetation in the country. An example is the plunder of resources at the Viphya Plantation.

Such d roughts l e ad to the drying up of beautiful v e g e t a t i o n ( f l o r a ) a n d potentially drive wild animals away from tourist destinations.

Although they may sound

small, such effects of climate change impact negatively on the country ’s sustainable socio-economic and environmental

effects of climate change in tourismpage 27

Climate change affects tourism development

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Crops destroyed by floods

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strides. This is contrary to th i s year ’ s In te rnat iona l World Tourism Day theme which focuses on embracing

sustainable tourism as a tool for development.

As highlighted previously, much as tourism has become

one of the fastest booming economic sectors, the industry is also accelerating effects of climate change through emission of greenhouse gases mainly due to transportation and hotel accommodation activit ies. Perhaps one of t h e o t h e r c o n t r i b u t o r y f a c t o r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y o n accommodation, could be the ongoing persistent blackouts w h i c h p o s s i b l y r e n d e r hospitality players with no other option apart from using fuels and gas to run their energy-requiring activities.

T h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as taking full account of the sector ’s current and future economic, social and environmental impacts and addres s ing the needs o f visitors, the industry, the environment and the host communities.

Clearly, this evidently shows that it is high time Malawi and other countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region incorpora ted sus ta inab le tourism in their planning of national policies. n

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ma l a w i ’ s e c o n o m y d e p e n d s m u c h o n a g r i c u l t u r e . F o r

decades, the country remains one of the few sub-Saharan Africa countries boasting all kinds of luxurious wild and managed tourist gems which contribute towards the country’s socio-economic development.

In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) ahead of the passing of the K1.3 trillion national budget by Parliament, President Peter Mutharika h i g h l i g h t e d a g r i c u l t u r e , irrigation and climate change on top of the rankings in the priority a l locat ion of the resources within the development budget, followed by educational act ivit ies , hea l th p rog rammes , the energy sector, transport and communication infrastructural activities and, lastly, tourism, in that order.

A recent document titled The Economic Valuation of Sustainable Natural Resource Use in Malawi shows that the country loses over $190 million (about K136 billion) annually due to unsustainable use of its natural resources.

This is probably why chief director of environment and climate change management in the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Yanila Ntupanyama, recently d i s c l o s e d t h a t M a l a w i ’ s vulnerability to the effects of climate change calls for urgent need to invest in adaptation and mitigation to enhance community resilience.

However, we cannot talk about growth of our nation in several dimensions without touching on climate change which continues to reveal its ugly face on Malawi’s various key economic sectors l ike tourism, besides agriculture. A l t h o u g h i t a p p e a r s a s a least important priority within those priority areas, the tourism sector is among modern transformative sectors both globally and locally.

S a i d N t u p a n y a m a : “C u r r e n t l y, s h o r t a g e o f water in our cities cannot be overemphasised and it is against this background that the Malawi government p r o g r e s s i v e l y s u p p o r t s development programmes whose aim is to enhance the resilience of communities against the impact of climate change.”

As a nation, we ought to reflect on the vulnerabilities

Malawi tourism and the burden of climate change

CHRISTOPHER NHLANENEws ANAlysT

that have befallen the industry due to g lobal changes in weather patterns as well as impacts of tourism on climate itself because the world, being a global vi l lage, Malawi’s tourism sector is not immune to the various effects of climate change. The United Nations Environmental Programme (Unep) underscores the need for the tourism sector across the world to rapidly respond to cl imate change i f i t is to develop in a sustainable

manner. Accord ing to Unep, a l l

countries, including Malawi, must identify strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the tourism sector’s activities like transport and accommodation, adapting the sector’s businesses and dest inat ions to changing climate conditions as well as using modern technologies to improve energy efficiency. This only demonstrates how much modern tourism has

become a highly c l imate-sensit ive economic sector which cannot be overlooked and overemphasised if Malawi is to achieve this year’s World Tourism Day theme on using sustainable tourism as a tool for development.

E v i d e n c e s t i l l s h o w s that Malawi is among the developing countries which continue to bear the brunt of climate change impacts, including high temperatures and regu la r ins tances o f

flooding that characterise some flood-prone areas of the country such as Karonga and Chikwawa districts.

Lake Chirwa, once touted as Malawi’s second biggest lake which dries up occasionally, is another living testimony of how cyclic changes in annual rainfall patterns have adversely impacted this nation. This drying up has potential to keep away holiday-makers, especially those who prefer water-based tourist activities such as sail ing, skiing or angling.

According to scientists, all this is as a result of accelerated environmental degradation by communities l iving along the lake’s catchment areas

Climate has effects on wildlife

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evidence still shows that Malawi is among the developing countries which continue to bear the brunt of climate change impacts

effects of climate change in tourism

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Reflecting on World Tourism Day The concern as to whether

the world understands the def in i t ion o f

sustainable development is no longer an issue, but what underlies some of its key pillars: social, economic and environmental.

S i m p l y p u t , t h e underlying principle in sustainable development is justice for current and future generations. Thus, for one to sustain the environment for tomorrow they have to put it to good use today. This calls for the importance of sustainable use of natural resources of which tourism immensely benefits from.

Tourism according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is the 3rd largest export industry in the world after chemicals and fuels. This is also evident in the 1.2 billion people that crossed borders in 2016 alone creating 1.2 billion opportunities, and it is envisaged that by 2030 the number of travellers will rise to 1.8 billion. We can, therefore, safely assume that if we do not take affirmative action today, tourism will impact the world negatively come 2030. Nevertheless, these statistics bring hope, prosperity and understanding to many lives and livelihoods across the world.

It is easy to think that because we may not be around by 2030, then issues of sustainability are out of question. Guess what? Our children will suffer the consequences of a disturbed ecosystem from which socioeconomic growth will no longer remain in the picture.

Based on this tenet, the United Nations declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This declaration, supported by the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Susta inab le Development Goals (SDGs), aims to support collectively, a change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more sustainable tourism sector thereby contr ibuting towards the SDGs.

It is in this vein that World

*TAMANDA KAlEKE

Tourism Day 2017 is being commemorated under the theme- Sustainable Tourism: a Tool for Development, calling on tourists to respect nature, culture and their hosts as they travel. This highlights a global shift in recent times from mass tourism to sustainable tourism where key is not economic benefit alone rather one encompassing environmental benefits as well. Imagine 1.8 billion people acting responsibly! What a great paradigm shift this would be.

Coming back home, sustainability in tourism is demystified as a significant number of industry players and local communities now understand its importance due to the various faces of climate change befalling the world. But one can argue that the issue of satisfying the needs of current generation surpasses that of future generations due to poverty and selfishness among a myriad of factors. That is up for discussion and the answer basically depends from which angle you view the debate from.

It is on this note that Malawi will commemorate this important day at the foot of Zomba Plateau which like most natural resource bases is under threat as it may no longer offer ecosystem support services to lives and livelihoods around it...talk of the Mulunguzi Dam for instance, that supplies fresh water to the city of

Zomba thereby powering all forms of livelihoods, has its catchment area threatened; others include: the depleted trout and indigenous trees, flowers and fruits. As much as other quarters may again argue that a better part of the forest in Zomba Plateau is man-made and therefore being put to its rightful use, we have to

highlight the importance of responsible harvesting, and this includes all resource types whether natural or man-made.

I t i s important to highlight further that with tourist numbers going beyond 840 000 in 2016, Malawi is moving fast towards i ts one million tourist mark— a

2020 target. This is and will be associated with a fairly equal number of opportunities. Whether these opportunities will be seized requires a different analysis, but today, we take time to rethink the impact of these opportunities whether pos i t i ve or negative. All travellers and indeed the general public are being called upon to join the key tourism stakeholders (public and private) who have so far laid foundations to further develop sustainable t o u r i s m i n M a l a w i . It is time to promote indigenous knowledge in all available forms, in addition to scientific knowledge to conserve the Zomba Plateau ecosystem and indeed all other .

As we commemorate this day, let us be the change we want to see for a healthy and economically sound Malawi! n

*Tamanda Ka l eke i s sustainable development specialist and senior tourism officer in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

Lake Malawi provides fresh water

Sustainable development is key to tourism growth

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investing in tourism for sustainable development—p2 ...mwnation.com/resources/tourism_sup.pdf ·...

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