Political, military crisis affecting tourism in Mozambique

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Political, military crisis affecting tourism in Mozambique

2:03 CAT | 08 Jun 2016

Fie photo / A view of Bilene beach, located in the southern province of Gaza

The government has said that political and military tension is costing the country one of its major sources of foreign exchange earnings: tourism, which represents about 5.6 percent of gross domestic product and employs more than 30,000 people.

One of the regions most affected is Gaza province in southern Mozambique, whose beautiful Bilene and Xai-Xai beaches feature among the world’s best-known tourist venues. Thousands of tourists from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia have flocked to these beaches, but now resorts there are closing.

The Mozambican Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ana Comuana, says that at least 200,000 tourists may cancel reservations in Gaza because they have to travel through areas affected by the military situation to get there.

Comuana says that it is not only the tourism sector which is affected by the attacks attributed to Renamo, but that losses extend to agriculture, trade and construction as well.

Meanwhile, Munira Abdul, manager of the Residential National suites in the centre of Maputo, said that the hotel industry in the capital was also feeling the effects of the military situation.

“We have had two or three days without any guests in our hotel at all because of the attacks, since many of our guests come by land from the centre and north of the country and have to pass through conflict zones to get here,” the manager said.

About two years ago, investment in the tourism sector in Mozambique exceeded US$800 million, but the figure has been declining since then.

Source: Voa Portugues