The 10th International Tourism Fair Madagascar (ITM) took place recently at the International Conference Centre (CCI) Ivato.
This year, the show included the first ever International Handicraft Fair (IHM) in Madagascar, dedicated to promoting Malagasy crafts.
In this Q&A, the island nation’s Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts, Joel Randriamandranto shares more on the event and his plans to boost the tourism sector while promoting artisans in Madagascar.
Q: This was the first time you included artisans at the fair. What informed the decision and why is this crucial in tourism?
A: “My ministry has merged to become the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts This year we decided to do something special for the artisans and help them benefit from the industry since they are also part and parcel of the sector. We wanted some of them to showcase their products at the event to the buyers, both domestic and international.
“Now that the two ministries are merged, I plan to place much focus on the artisans and make them meet the buyers because there are a lot of products, novelties and creations that these buyers don’t know about and vice-versa. The tourism sector employs the artisans and we continue to create an enabling environment for their businesses. We plan to improve their skills and quality of their products, enable them to access the raw materials they require for their businesses and also have them registered.
“In addition, we plan to assist them market their products to international platforms and the fair is one of the places where they can be ‘discovered’ and can find markets for their products. This year we received over 400 requests from artisans but sadly there was not enough room to accommodate them. We only took the best from the 400 applications.”
Q: What makes Madagascar stand out amongst the island destinations of Africa?
A: “Madagascar is well known for its nature, flora and fauna and culture. We have 5 000 km of coastline. Tourists can engage in whale-watching in Sante Marie in the month of June. If they are adventurous, water sports, deep sea fishing, kayaking, paddling, snorkelling, diving all may be done in our ocean.
“We have 15 national parks and reserves with wildlife that is unique to our country. This includes lemurs, panther chameleons, the fossa, the aye-aye and many others. Our culture is also unique - a blend of Asian and African culture, with traditions and rituals being part of our everyday life. We have 18 ethnic groups and some Europeans residing on the island."
“Last, but not least, is gastronomy, because everything grows in Madagascar. Madagascar is the best place for seafood-lovers and we have a wide range of drinks to choose from too.”
Q: What is the current state of tourism in terms of numbers and which strategies are you adopting to increase tourism?
A: “On average, we receive around 300 000 tourists a year. It was a little more before the pandemic and our goal currently is to reach a million tourists by 2028. Our strategy, of course, is to diversify and open up new markets.
“Though our traditional source markets have been France, the UK, Italy and Germany, (and we hope to strengthen these markets), we are opening up to new markets like Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia to add to the number of arrivals.
“In addition, we want to diversify our product offerings so that we can have tourists throughout the year."
“We are looking into increasing the number of flights and frequencies to our destinations. We’re also seeking investors to increase the accommodation infrastructure.”
Q: The pandemic taught us the power of regional tourism in sustaining tourism. Do you have a strategy on this as well?
A: ”Yes, we also have a plan to encourage Africans travel to Madagascar. We will work closely with tour operators. We understand the power that tour operators have in the sector as they are the key engine of driving growth and we are engaging them to find out what Africans need and how we can package the destination to meet that need.
“We will also take along our tour operators to participate in tourism fairs in various countries.
“We have direct flights to several African countries too - like Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia, and we plan to have more.
“Lastly, we plan to engage journalists and influencers through fam trips.”
Q: With today’s traveller seeking destinations that embrace sustainable tourism, what is your strategy to ensure sustainability in the industry?
A: “We promote tour operators who are sustainable and we have focused our attention on reforestation because the environment is important. We also promote local tourism and ensure that the benefits gained from the sector reach locals.”
Q: What challenges does your tourism sector face?
A: “We need to improve our accessibility and improve connectivity within the destination. We are also looking into investing in infrastructure, including roads. We know tourism safety and security is important, as well as political stability.”
