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South African tourists up, business arrivals down, as hotels close in Mozambique – Hanlon
5:15 CAT | 14 Jun 2016
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Six hotels in Vilanculos have closed and others have not paid salaries to the workers in six months, according to the Mozambican Hotel and Tourism Federation. The largest hotel in Inhambane, Barra Lodge, has dismissed 100 workers. Elsewhere, lodges have closed on the Quirimbas islands in the north and in the south in Bilene; the Pestana Inhaca Hotel is closed. (O Pais Economic supplement 10 June)
Renamo’s stepped up attacks and worsening economies throughout the region are blamed. But data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism gives a more mixed picture, with visitors down but tourists up. The peak year was 2012, with 2.2 million foreign visitors to Mozambique, of whom 1.45 mn were tourists. The total number of visitors has fallen steadily to 1.6 mn in 2015, of whom 1.16 mn were tourists. In 2015 the number of South Africa visitors hit a record, exceeding 1 mn for the first time. By contrast, US and European tourists were sharply down, to half their 2012 levels. Broadly the number of tourists and religious missionaries is up, while those arriving for business, conferences, and visiting friends and family is down. The number of visitors arriving by car is up, while those arriving by plane are down. Thus the number of higher spending US and European visitors is falling, while the number of South Africans who drive across the border but spend less is increasing. Tourist spending peaked in 2012 at $242 mn and had fallen in 2015 to $193 mn.
The peak for foreigners staying in hotels was 2014 (333,801) which fell sharply in 2015 (to 256,077) with Inhambane, Sofala and Maputo city hardest hit, but Cabo Delgado and Nampula increasing. Tourism currently employs 58,000 people. Official data for 2011-5 are on
By: Joseph Hanlon
Source: News reports & clippings
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Flights are way too expensive, advance visa’s are a pain, its expensive when you get there and I was asked for money, as an international visitor to an expensive lodge, by a customs guy at Vilancoulos. It too 45 minutes to get in (with kids after an international flight) with advance visas, and getting out was a long wait too. Why would any one bother – and thats before the security factors.
Time to wake up, there are many more places to visit.