Tourism strategy to push sector’s contribution to GDP

The department of tourism has said the much-awaited domestic tourism strategy will help to push tourism contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to around 15 percent by 2020.

Director of tourism Patricia Liabuba said in an interview on Wednesday the strategy, expected to be launched in March this year, will be implemented under the armpit of the 2020 Tourism Strategy.

Data from Malawi Government Annual Economic Report 2014 show that tourism contributed eight percent to GDP.

“The main objective is to put in place strategies that would promote and motivate Malawians to travel within the country for leisure and appreciate the beautiful tourism products that their country has so that they can be ambassadors of tourism to family, friends and their international contacts once they are exposed to the tourism experience,” said Liabuba.

She said the department is currently working with the private sector to come up with packages that would attract domestic tourists such as charging on local currency. n