The ninth edition of the International Tourism Fair – FIKANI Mozambique 2023, an event organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, through the National Tourism Institute (INATUR), in partnership with the private sector, kicked off this Thursday, November 30, with the central aim of promoting tourism products and services and helping to make Mozambique a tourist destination of choice.
It was in this context that the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Fredson Bacar, opened the international conference on tourism and air connectivity, at the Mozambique-China Cultural Center.
On the occasion, he reported that “this year, 1,575,677 passengers passed through national airports, a figure close to that reached before the covid-19 pandemic, when 1,922,571 and 2,174,691 passengers were registered in 2018 and 2019, respectively. To this end, 49,168 flights were carried out through national airports in 2023, compared to 66,665 in 2019.”
The deputy minister said that the presence of Mozambique Airlines (LAM) and other airlines has been fundamental to the development of the aviation and tourism industry in Mozambique, positively impacting the country’s economy and global connectivity.
It should be noted that during the first nine months of 2023, there was a movement of approximately 1,200 guests compared to 975,000 in the same period of 2022, representing an increase of 23%, with a significant part of these visitors using the plane as their means of transportation.
“It is because we recognize the importance and impact of air transport for the development of tourism that Mozambique embraced air connectivity for its election as a member of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization,” explained Fredson Bacar.
He also explained that he is aware that the biggest challenge facing many African countries has to do with investment in airport infrastructures, as they require huge resources. “That’s why we must focus on improving the quality of the services provided and prioritize the establishment of public-private partnerships and other forms of investment, helping to improve air connectivity between African destinations and other parts of the world.”
