Minister drums up support for 2024 Tourism Expo

Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule has appealed to the public to patronise the forthcoming 2024 Tourism Expo which will be held from April 25 to 27 in Lilongwe.

She said this in an interview on Thursday when asked about the ministry’s preparations for the expo to be held under the theme ‘Ipatse moto: Everything tourism’.

Kamtukule said Malawi is focusing on economic recovery through agriculture, tourism and mining or ATM strategy.

She said: “To benefit from the expo, our local operators should focus on sharpening their pitch, highlighting their unique selling points.

“This is your chance to connect with international buyers, fellow operators and media, making the expo a catalyst for success.”

The expo is expected to attract potential visitors and investors and lead to increased bookings, awareness and media attention.

Linga Wines managing director Margret Ngwira said the expo exposes the country’s tourism industry and its supporting activities to the global market which operators can utilise.

“We are hoping that the Buy Malawi Strategy will facilitate the presence of relevant small and medium enterprises at such an event,” she said.

During last year’s expo, President Lazarus Chakwera urged local tourism players to make their services affordable to ordinary Malawians to capitalise on the industry’s potential.

According to the Malawi Government Annual Economic Report 2024, the total contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product was K420.1 billion in 2022 in real terms and was projected at K467.5 billion at the end of last year.