Room for more
• Chapter summary
To the surprise of much of the world, Mozambique is one of the most precious hidden gems for high-end tourism, with pristine beaches, Maldives-like crystalline water, great weather all-year round, friendly people, and an amazing cuisine. For over 30 years the country has been quietly developing its touristic infrastructure to cater to an international, high-end crowd. Mass tourism has never really taken off for a series of reasons, including the relative inaccessibility and high pricing of its destinations. However, this has enabled the country to preserve a certain aura of secrecy that has made it appealing to luxury tourists. Despite some of the current challenges afflicting the tourism industry globally, the sector looks set to remain on track for the foreseeable future, with huge plans for a luxury resort in the Crusse-Jamal area just one of many large-scale projects in the works. Two specific areas with huge potential that many respondents have brought up are scubadiving, a USD30-million industry in Mozambique, and wildlife tourism in Gorongosa National Park. Improvements are needed, however, if Mozambique wants to capitalize on these opportunities.
Despite all the potential, the hard truth is that tourism still represents only 3.5% of the GDP, compared to 10% globally and 8% in neighboring South Africa. There are certain structural obstacles that will take time to overcome, from lack of infrastructure and adequate transportation options to high prices and a complex and unclear visa process. The sector has shown some signs of recovery since 2018 though. And there is a lot that could be done in terms of promoting Mozambique’s image abroad as a touristic destination, the way Kenya, Zanzibar, South Africa, and Mauritius have done. The private sector points to the lack of a national strategy and funding from the public sector; however, the new Minister of Tourism and Culture, Edelvina Materula, has stated the intention to tackle this aspect more seriously once COVID-19 passes.
The COVID-19 pandemic, unsurprisingly, has left its mark most noticeably on the tourism sector, with land borders blocked and international flights suspended. According to Luis Macuácua, Secretary General of the National Union of Hotels and Tourism, in the first months of the pandemic, “most of the establishments have been closed, reporting over USD30 million in losses and placing 21,000 workers, equivalent to 33% of the 64,000 throughout the country, in deep uncertainty.” Another reason for concern has been the growing insurgency in Cabo Delgado, which has cut Pemba and the Quirimbas archipelago off from the main tourist routes north from Maputo.
To be sure, the future is not grim. Once COVID -19 is over, more and more tourists will be looking for new destinations to explore, and Mozambique has great potential to appeal to these crowds. New airlines, such as Emirates, are planning to open routes to Mozambique, and national career LAM Mozambique Airlines is also planning on launching new destinations. ✖