Tourism is often described as the low hanging fruit, so close that it does not require much effort to harvest.
It is a perfect metaphor, as it is often only natural conditions, with a little investment, that is necessary to have an economically viable and profitable tourism venture. A mountain, a lake, a plain, a beach, some game or a breathtaking view is all that is required.
But this metaphor, perfect as it is, does not truly capture the true essence of what tourism, in its broadest dimensions, really means when the quality, not only of the destination, but also of the entire value chain, is considered.
Tourism is finesse and extravagance, but also something very sensitive to factors that are not always considered, even if they are decisive in making or ruining a business. It is a sector where what takes years of dedication and resources to build, can collapse with a simple event, in a short period of time.
For example, the political instability of almost six months, which hit the country following the October 2024 elections, resulted in the cancellation of tourism bookings that had already been made, resulting in huge losses for operators. Unable to continue receiving tourists, some tourism resorts simply closed their doors and sent scores of workers home. But the losses go even beyond that. The cost of the image of an unstable country, even if the demonstrations have already ended, will take years to disappear, and the tourists who have left will not return anytime soon.
The tourism summit held recently in Vilankulo, Inhambane, was rich in the observation of the key factors that can boost tourism in Mozambique, making it one of the sectors with one of the largest contributions to the country’s development. And Mozambique has extraordinary conditions to have tourism as one of its main sources of revenue. With an almost 3 000-km coastline and an interior with breathtaking panoramas, there are wonders to explore in this country.
But this requires a lot of work; from having to deal with the most mundane things like corrupt and bratty police officers harassing tourists, to the more complex government policies in critical sectors such as aviation and others, including the ability of foreign operators to repatriate their earnings without having to break down in tears. In this, the predictability of the financial and banking system is fundamental.
Success in tourism also requires close coordination between the various sectors of government that intervene to make it viable. Tourists need safe roads, clean cities, towns and other places, efficiency at airports and other entry and exit points, and quality health services. To add value there is also the need to create places of historical and cultural interest.
Some of the decisions announced in Vilankulo are timely, but they need to be transformed into clearly interpretable legal instruments, without the ambiguity that in the end makes them a dead letter. Only in this way can tourism truly become the low hanging fruit, ready for harvesting.