Geneva — Fernando Sumbana Jr, who has been Mozambique's minister of tourism since the department was created in 2000, believes his country has the assets required to attract tourism investment and to make it a popular destination for travelers.
He made his case during a presentation at the recent TourismAfrica 2006 conference in Geneva, where he outlined steps the government is taking to spur travel sector growth. For prospective investors, Mozambique has implemented "a series of legal institutional reforms aimed at facilitating the identification and development of investment opportunities in the tourism sector," he said. The reforms facilitate tourism planning and development by setting priority areas and by defining the projects, as well as by mobilizing the required technical and financial resources, he said.
To facilitate travel for tourists, Mozambique is granting 30-day entry visas at border posts and the country is working with other countries in southern Africa to develop a region-wide tourist visa. Looking forward to 2010 World Cup, which is being held in South Africa, the minister said Mozambique is cooperating with other countries in the region to take advantage of the tourism opportunities the event will bring to the area.
Much of Mozambique's allure, according to the minister, is its political and economic stability. And he pointed proudly to the country's steady GDP growth rate, which has averaged 8% for the past ten years. The result has been increased confidence from both foreign and domestic companies which have invested U.S.$12 billion in the sector in the last decade, he said.
Prior to his presentation at the conference, Sumbana discussed with AllAfrica Mozambique's plans for attracting tourists and investors.
What does Mozambique have to offer and what does it have to gain from tourism?
What we have to offer firstly is the sympathy of the Mozambican people. Mozambicans like visitors, and we are really a country that has been exposed to links with people from all over the world. In the old days, when Europeans went to Asia, they passed through Mozambique [by sea]. When the Arabs tried to explore the world they came to Mozambique. When the Chinese did the expedition to the world; they came to Mozambique. So, we have been interacting with people from all parts of the world for a long time.
And we have got very good natural resources - sea, sand and wildlife. One thing that gives us a competitive comparative advantage is that we have got very good beaches, very close to wildlife, so it means that any visitor coming to Mozambique can have the experience of being at a beach in the afternoon, after going on safari in the morning. And we have historic and cultural features as well..
Do you have facilities to accommodate tourists?
Yes. From the northern side, bordering with Tanzania, to the southern area bordering South Africa and even in the interior, we've got facilities. In all provinces we have accommodation, and we have people ready to host.
What about investment opportunities in the tourism sector?
We have many. We have identified what we call the 'Tools in Development Areas', where we use the criteria of proximity to international airports, basic infrastructure and density. We combined all those variables and came up with the spots where we would like to invite investors to come and do something now. And if any investor wants to come, wants to tell us what sort of development he wants to do, we will facilitate everything to start as soon as possible. We also have a package of fiscal incentives, as well as exemptions for the import of basic goods that they need to start their business. So really we have set up the whole environment for people to come and invest in Mozambique.
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And are you getting a good response?
We are. The third largest investments in Mozambique are occurring in tourism. The first two are in industry and natural resources. Basically, for these two sectors, we are talking about mega projects like an aluminum smelter, and coal mines. But if you take the mega projects out, tourism is first. So this is an industry that every day opens new companies. At the same time, we are getting many visitors to Mozambique. People looking at Mozambique as a place to discover.
How much revenue does tourism earn for Mozambique?
In terms of international arrivals, we are getting revenues of at least $180 million a year. But the [the true figure] is higher, because we cannot track 100 percent now. We are working with the United Nations World Tourism Organization to do a survey to get an accurate figure. I believe it is more than three or four times the figure I am giving you now.
