Weak manufacturing base affects tourism growth
Lack of a vibrant manufacturing sector has been singled out as one of the factors for the rising costs of accessing tourism services in the country.
Malawi Tourism Council chairperson Frolentina Kabefu told Business News in an interview that the cost of doing business in the tourism sector is high because most of the materials used are imported.
She said: “The cost of operating a tourist facility in Malawi is high. A lot of things have to be imported because we have a weak manufacturing base.
“If you look at hotel grading system, for one to meet international standards, you need to spend a lot to maintain the standards.”
Kabefu said that is why Malawi cannot compete with counterparts in the region, such as South Africa whose manufacturing sectors are vibrant.
“If you compare tourist attraction facilities such as in South Africa, they do not have to import anything, since everything is readily available.
“So, only when government starts to give incentives hotel operators, in form of [tax breaks] for bringing in materials, will you find that the cost of accessing services in the tourism sector will go down,” she said.
