Ministry of Tourism draws a 20-year project plan

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife plans to implement a National Tourism Investment master plan to facilitate implementation of about 103 projects in the tourism sector.

This was disclosed during the National Tourism Investment Master Plan Dissemination Workshop for the ministry officials held at Sun ‘n’ Sand Holiday Resort in Mangochi on Thursday.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife, Michael Usi urged the officials in the ministry to develop strategies that should create jobs in the tourism sector.

He called on the participants to internalise the master plan, adding: “You need to familiarise yourself with the master plan and identify the role you can play to ensure that the master plan is materialised.”

The ministry’s acting director of tourism Sosten Lingwalanya said women and young people who fall into the category of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) would receive a matching grant to enable them revive their investments in tourism.

Out of the proposed projects to be implemented in the country over a period of 20 years, the ministry identified 10 priority ones, including a transport facility at Songwe River, boardwalk in Lilongwe, integrated cable car resort on Mulanje Mountain and Shire River waterfront in Liwonde.

Chief tourism officer Charles Kachelenga said once the projects are completed they will improve the country’s economy.

“Implementation of the identified projects will contribute towards urbanisation, create jobs for Malawians and enable the country to earn forex,” he said.

Kachelenga added that some of the projects would be implemented by government while others would be implemented by the private sector as projects would fall under the public private partnership.

The National Tourism Investment Master Plan, which will be launched early next year, is aligned to Malawi 2063.

The master plan is a tourism blueprint developed over two years with support from the African Development Bank.