LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s leading commercial institution Standard bank has emphasized the need for serious implementation of the National Tourism Investment Masterplan if Malawi is to realise much needed forex.
The call comes barely months after President Lazarus Chakwera launched the plan in April this year
Standard Head of business and commercial clients, Graham Chipande told The Maravi Post that the masterplan is doable.
Chipande was speaking during the sidelines of breakfast meeting on progress of Tourism projects including Integrated Waterfront Development Project in Nkhatabay and integrated tourism resort in Salima on Monday, December 12, 2022 in the capital Lilongwe.
He said Standard Bank continues giving stakeholder in the country to invest in tourism sector for the country’s economic growth.
“The bank sees the masterplan as a bench mark for serious investment. This is the reason Standard bank has partnered with Tourism Ministry setting the pace for implementation.
“This is also the reason we are providing resources for stakeholders awareness for the implementation of the plan,” says Chipande.
In his remarks, Tourism Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Minister Michael Usi said time has come for business captains in the sector to partner with government for the implementation of the masterplan.
Usi said the masterplan with 103 projects is spread across the country inline with Malawi’s agenda 2063.
“Malawi has experienced exponential development and growth of unplanned and at times substandard tourism facilities in key and prime tourist sites leading to over concentration and development to tourism in selected districts, leaving out the other districts with potential tourist sites.
“This has resulted to unequal distribution of income and development since the economic benefits of tourism, such as jobs and business creation have been concentrated, therefore, not felt in other areas across the country,” he said.
Usi added, “I am therefore pleased to inform the public that the National Tourism Investment Masterplan addresses these issues as it maps the country’s 28 Districts into 10 Tourism Nodes and 3 National Hubs.
“These projects are in line with the Malawi 2063 which recognizes Tourism as a key sector, under ubanisation pillar, for economic growth and wealth creation through harnessing the unexploited natural and cultural resources for tourism and development of Tourism Hubs. Development of secondary cities presents opportunities for tourism to take centre-stage in economic development as it has a very high multiplier”.
In each Tourism Node, one priority investment project has been developed to pre-feasibility study level.
