GIZ, a German international development agency, has begun a series of projects to boost tourism in Malawi, helping residents who have been hit hardest financially by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) Programme has been operating in Malawi since 2016 and has, so far, supported more than 30 000 small farmers and SMMEs.

The latest series of projects will specifically support those who are usually informally employed in tourism, such as local tour guides; artisans; and those who have lost their jobs in tourism. Priorities are to renovate existing tourism infrastructure, build new points of interest, create new hiking trails, and encourage innovation in local tourism products.

The first renovation as part of the new project was recently completed on Mount Mulanje, which offers a variety of walks and hikes, both guided and independent, for all skill levels.

A local workforce was employed to complete maintenance on the 14 hiking trails (covering 125km), paint and replace the various huts on the mountain, improve the Info Mulanje Centre, and build a market selling point for artisans to store, work in and sell their crafts.

Below is a map of the main tourist attractions that GIZ has identified for future projects.