Picture:Malawi’s Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule
In a major boost for Malawi’s tourism industry, the country’s Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, announced a staggering 58% increase in the ministry’s budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
This announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 5th Malawi International Tourism Expo, attended by the country’s president and thousands of exhibitors and buyers from 44 countries.
“Your vigilance in raising the profile of this sleeping giant has contributed to this remarkable budget increase,” Kamtukule stated, addressing President Lazurus Chakwera who was in attendance. “This will enable us to conduct destination marketing initiatives, product development, and mobilize resources to implement the Tourism Investment Master plan that you launched in April 2022.”
The minister also praised the government’s financial support, noting that the Minister of Finance had separately funded the budget line for the Tourism Expo, allowing for timely preparations and the impressive showcase seen at the event.
“It is on this basis that I hereby wish to express my profound gratitude to Your Excellency for having singled out Tourism as an integral sector for our economic transformation through Your ATM Strategy,” Kamtukule said.
However, the tourism sector has not been without its challenges, as Kamtukule acknowledged. Rising water levels on Lake Malawi have damaged tourism properties and caused massive job and business losses. The minister assured that the government is working closely with other ministries and the financial sector to find an amicable solution to these climate-related issues.
The 58% budget increase is a clear testament to the government’s commitment to positioning Malawi as a premier tourist destination. With the additional resources, and other policy decisions such as the removal of visa requirements for citizens from 79 countries and the fixing of air connectivity issues, the tourism sector is well on its way to undergo a transformative period, driving economic growth and creating new opportunities for the people of Malawi.
