As the global tourism community gathered at WTM Africa, Madagascar stood proudly alongside other African nations, ready to present its distinctive offerings to the world stage.
VoyagesAfriq Media conducted an interview with Madam Lovanirina Rakotonantoandro, the Research and Development Director of the Madagascar National Tourism Board. She shed light on Madagascar’s purpose for participating in this year’s WTM Africa, stating: “We are attending the WTM Africa because we want to promote Madagascar, as a tourism destination to the professionals in tourism from Africa.
“We also want to achieve visibility, to make the destination known by the companies, first the tour operators, the TMCs, who can sell the destination for their customers. And I know that the companies who are here today have customers from all over the world, so it’s important for us to be there.”
Madam Lovanirina Rakotonantoandro emphasized Madagascar as an emerging frontier in tourism, attracting increasing interest and attention.
According to her, it stands out as the prime destination for travelers eager to venture into new horizons.
“I was really impressed by the interest of the TMCs, the tour operators, to the destination, because Madagascar is not a very known destination first, and tourists nowadays are looking for new destinations. Yes, and Madagascar is a new destination for most travellers, so it’s very important for us,” she said.
According to her, the journey doesn’t conclude at WTM Africa.
The Madagascar National Tourism Board has ambitious plans ahead, including a series of FAM trips crafted to fully immerse industry professionals in the wonders of the island.
“Okay, so the FAM trip we are organising this year, it’s four sessions a year. The first one will be in May, the second one in June, around our International Tourism Fair in Madagascar, the next one in September, and the last one in November. So it will be a great opportunity for the tour operators and TMCs from our source markets to discover the island, the big island, because Madagascar is also called the big island. This is to give them the opportunity to discover, to experience Madagascar,” she disclosed.
