Mozambique: Tourism now over 4% of GDP, boosted by visa exemptions – president

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Mozambique: Tourism now over 4% of GDP, boosted by visa exemptions – president

2:34 CAT | 08 Aug 2024

Photo: Presidente Filipe Nyusi / Facebook

The weight of tourism in Mozambique’s gross domestic product almost doubled from 2021 to 2023, to more than 4%, following the introduction of visa exemptions for nationals of 29 countries, Mozambique’s president, Filipe Nyusi, announced on Thursday.

“It is worth mentioning here that there has been a frankly positive evolution in the tourism sector… which rose from 2.46 percent in 2021 to 4.02 percent [of GDP] in 2023, suggesting the best chances of a growth trajectory in the medium term,” said Nyusi at the opening of the 10th edition of Fikani – Mozambique International Tourism Fair, in Maputo.

The head of state added that “the flow of tourists in the various segments” points to “a trend of growth in international arrivals” – which totalled 870,838 in 2023 – with 87% of foreign visitors coming from Africa and 6% from Europe, mostly Portugal.

As a result, he said, 2023 revenues from international tourism are estimated at $221 million (€202 million), an increase of more than 10% compared to 2022.

In addition, during 2023, revenue from tourism in national reserves and parks rose to 227 million meticais (€3.2 million), 20% of which “benefited local communities” in the area.

“This is the principle that we have always defended because the local communities are the biggest producers of the areas,” Nyusi emphasised, giving as examples of this demand the national parks of Bazaruto, Maputo and Gorongosa and the Niassa National Reserve.

The growth in tourism, according to the head of state, is thanks to the “relaxation in the granting of entry visas” since May of last year.

“This included the introduction of the border visa, a change to the business visa with multiple entries and a stay in the country of up to ninety days,” he said. “Also contributing was the visa for investment activity with multiple entries and a stay in the country of two to five years, depending on the value of the investment.

“Even more important was the visa exemption for twenty nine countries, as part of the economic acceleration measures, accompanied by the e-visa platform, with substantial productivity gains, where it was possible to register 75,695 visitors in 2023,” he added, arguing that “these measures should continue to be publicised” and “exploited” to bring more benefits.

For Nyusi, another “determining factor in boosting” “quality” tourism in Mozambique was the building of energy infrastructure by the public sector as well as roads, bridges and hospitals.

“Because there are no tourists who go to a place where they don’t know where they will be assisted if they have any problems,” he said. “Nor do tourists go where there are mosquitoes.”

At the opening of this 10th Fikani, which is expected to welcome 6,500 participants and more than 220 exhibitors from various countries, including Portugal, until Sunday, the head of state argued that Mozambique has the conditions to “impose itself on international tourism” – starting with a “strong commitment to the quality of products and services” – in a distinctive way.

The aim, he said, is to attract “more tourists and better than other destinations” in Africa.

He called for “entrepreneurial dynamism” in the country’s tourism sector: “We need to get moving, we can’t be shy.”

According to Nyusi, Mozambique needs above all to develop cultural and nature tourism, noting that 26% of the nation’s territory is made up of conservation areas: “We have a responsibility to protect the environment.”

Source: Lusa