Photo: Vera Kamtukule- Minister of Tourism, Malawi Photo Credit:Moses Mtonga Creatives
In a significant move aimed at revitalizing its tourism sector, Malawi has enacted a groundbreaking new tourism law, establishing the Malawi Tourism Authority and the Malawi College of Tourism. The announcement, made by Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule in an exclusive interview with VoyagesAfriq during the UN Tourism Africa and Americas Tourism Summit in Zambia, signals a decisive shift towards modernizing and professionalizing the nation’s tourism landscape.
For decades, Malawi’s tourism industry operated under a law dating back to 1968, a relic that proved increasingly inadequate in addressing the dynamic demands of the modern travel market.
“In terms of tourism in Malawi, we are still using an archaic law that was enacted in 1968, so that was creating a lot of problems because it didn’t have a lot of provisions that need to be looked into,” Kamtukule explained. “As you may be aware, the tourism sector is an ever-changing sector – you need to move with the times, but the law was unable to do that, so it was impeding on the growth of the sector.”
The new legislation, the 2025 Tourism Act, represents a pivotal step in aligning Malawi’s tourism framework with contemporary standards and best practices. A key component of the Act is the establishment of the Malawi Tourism Authority, a dedicated body tasked with driving product development and destination marketing. This separation of functions from the Ministry of Tourism will allow the Ministry to focus on policy and strategic direction, streamlining the sector’s governance and fostering greater efficiency.
“With the Authority now with the Ministry, there’s going to be a lot of division of functions, where the Ministry is now going to be at the policy and strategy level and all the issues with product development, destination marketing is going to be the functions of the Tourism Authority from now on,” Kamtukule stated.
Furthermore, the Act introduces the Malawi College of Tourism, a significant upgrade from the existing Malawi Institute of Tourism. This development underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing the skill level and professional capacity within the sector. “We have the Malawi Institute of Tourism that was providing skills at the lower level, but with a college now, it’s going to upgrade the profile and the skills within the sector,” the Minister elaborated.
This focus on professional development aligns with President Lazarus Chakwera’s vision, who has identified tourism as a critical driver of Malawi’s structural transformation. “You may also be aware that the President isolated tourism as one of the key sectors for our structural transformation, but we couldn’t do what he wanted us to do with an archaic law,” Kamtukule acknowledged.
The new legislation is expected to unlock the vast potential of Malawi’s tourism sector, positioning the country to capitalize on its natural beauty and cultural heritage. By addressing the limitations of the outdated legal framework, the 2025 Tourism Act paves the way for sustainable growth, increased investment and enhanced visitor experiences.
