Covid-19 deprives Mozambique Culture and Tourism of revenue

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Covid-19 deprives Mozambique Culture and Tourism of revenue

8:21 CAT | 24 Aug 2020

Photo: Ministério da Cultura e Turismo de Moçambique / Facebook

The Covid-19 pandemic has reduced the income of Mozambican tourism and cultural establishments by more than 95 per cent, according to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Eldevina Materula.

According to the official records, the sector employs 66,592 workers.

Speaking at a meeting drawing up a preliminary assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on the labour market, Materula said that 1,199 establishments covered by her ministry have closed because of the pandemic. Of these, 61 per cent are restaurants and similar businesses, 31 per cent are hotels and other accommodation establishments and eight per cent are travel agencies, dance halls, casinos and similar operations.

Labourtourism — *Ministério da Cultura e Turismo de Moçambique / Facebook*

Nonetheless, she was optimistic that, as the restrictive measures imposed by the government under the state of emergency are lifted, the culture and tourism sector will undergo a rapid recovery.

“Recovery will have to involve the participation and collaboration of the private sector, but also the commitment of the government”, Materula added.

She hoped that next year the entry of tourists will be facilitated. “We can bring tourists to our country very easily”, she said. It would be possible for tourists to apply for entry visas electronically. They would no longer have to travel to the nearest Mozambican embassy or consulate, but could apply for a visa over their own computers.

Materula added that electronic visas will also facilitate visits by business people and by artists, since they would no longer have to surrender their passports while embassy staff were dealing with their visa applications.

She stressed the adoption of the “clean and safe stamp”, not only for hotels and restaurants, but for other sectors such as transport.

Transport companies could apply for the stamp which would be certified by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). This certification “will give credibility to all establishments authorized to use the stamp”, said Materula.

“We shall launch it soon”, she promised, “and we believe it will be one of the tools that will drive our tourism”.