Ministry closes 25 tourism enterprises
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has closed down 25 tourism enterprises and put under re-inspection about 500 for failure to comply with the minimum standards of the tourism and hotels board of Malawi.
Meanwhile, over 1 000 tourism enterprises have been given licences.
In an interview with Business News on Wednesday, director of tourism in the ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Isaac Katopola said this is part of its annual inspection exercise which seeks to enforce standards in the sector.
“We always check the standards with the players in the industry so that the services they are providing to the travelling public should be of standards.
“This exercise ensures that tourists are provided with the minimum comfort while their lives and safety are taken care of,” he said.
The development comes at a time when Malawi is stepping up efforts to revitalise domestic tourism by improving standards in the industry.
Tourism is among nine priorities outlined in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II (MGDS II) expected to contribute to sustainable economic growth by expanding and diversifying the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
