In Madagascar, a fair dedicated to the tourism sector is being held this Saturday, June 15 and until tomorrow Sunday, in the capital Antananarivo. The Big Island has immense tourist potential which could help boost its economy, but the lack of infrastructure discourages many foreign tourists who prefer to go to other islands in the Indian Ocean.

Exceptional biodiversity, grandiose landscapes and beaches with turquoise waters, Madagascar has all the assets to attract many international tourists. However, the Big Island has never exceeded 300,000 foreign visitors per year.

“When we talk about Madagascar, people's eyes shine because it remains a country that makes people dream, but dreams are not enough. It is also very important for professionals to be aware of this potential. There is a lot of work to be done to increase the number of possibilities for welcoming tourists, here, in Madagascar, with regard to hotel infrastructure, ”underlines Patrice Raoull, president of the Confederation of Tourism of Madagascar.

The absence of roads or their very poor condition as well as the insecurity in certain areas are additional barriers for tourists. In the extreme south of the country, Fort-Dauphin is one of the most diversified regions in terms of landscapes of fauna and flora. Nevertheless, it receives very few visitors each year, as explained by Delphin Andreas, president of the regional tourist office of Fort-Dauphin.

“Today, Fort-Dauphin is completely landlocked because we have no roads. The roads exist but it takes at least two days. Necessarily, it is necessary to take the plane. Today, we are around 9,000, 10,000 tourists in Fort-Dauphin. We can still receive much more. Fort-Dauphin is a haven of serenity. There is the sea on the east side, lots of beaches, lots of vegetation and it is still a preserved site”.

The Malagasy authorities, whose objective is to attract 500,000 foreign tourists by 2023, are now making tourism one of their priorities.