The suspension of LAM flights to Portugal is exacerbating the difficulties faced by Mozambique’s tourism sector. This concern was expressed by Noor Mimad, chairman of the board of directors of the Mozambican travel agency (Cotur), who considers the situation to be yet another obstacle for an already weakened industry.
‘Tourism already faces many problems, and this one only adds to the difficulties,’ commented Mimad, during an event organised by the Confederation of Economic Associations (CTA), where the government announced a subsidised credit line of 156 million dollars (10 billion meticals) to support companies affected by the recent violent demonstrations.
The businessman emphasised that the lack of a direct air link between Mozambique and Portugal not only harms the national economy, but also the country’s attractiveness as a tourist destination. ‘It’s bad for the country, it’s bad for the economy, it’s bad for tourism, it’s bad for passengers and the general public, there’s no doubt about it,’ he said.
Despite recognising that the route has been making losses for a long time, Mimad argues that there are ways to make it viable. ‘Perhaps the agreement we were working with wasn’t the best, the costs weren’t beneficial and that made the route not work. But I believe that if we have the will and more demand on the international market, we can get better agreements to make this route sustainable,’ he said.
In 2023, Mozambique earned approximately 221 million dollars in revenue from international tourism,
The impact of the decision on Mozambican tourism is inevitable, especially at a time when the sector is struggling to recover from the challenges of recent years. ‘It’s clear that this will have a direct impact on tourism, which already has many problems, and this will only make matters worse,’ Mimad warned.
The Cotur manager stressed that the private sector is willing to work with the government to find solutions that minimise the effects of the route’s suspension and guarantee the sustainability of aviation in the country. ‘What matters is that things are happening and, when there is political will, problems can be solved,’ he said.
For Mimad, the future of tourism in Mozambique depends on a robust strategy that strengthens air connectivity and guarantees a continuous flow of international visitors. ‘Portugal is a Portuguese-speaking country with incredible potential for Mozambican tourism and the country’s economy. LAM has everything to succeed, but it needs better management, an injection of capital and more supply so that it can respond to demand,’ he concluded.
The decision to suspend direct flights between Maputo and Lisbon was officially announced by Mozambique Airlines (LAM) on 18 February. According to the company, the measure is due to the high losses accumulated since the launch of the route, exceeding 21 million dollars (1.3 billion meticals).
Text: Felisberto Ruco
