The Government spokesperson, Inocêncio Impissa, announced on Friday, November 21, that the Executive has decided to designate Inhambane Province, in the south of the country, as the first special golf tourism zone, with the epicentres in Vilankulo, Tofo, and Barra. The measure aims to attract high-end investments and integrate Mozambique into the global sports tourism circuit.
Recently, the province hosted the International Tourism Conference from November 3 to 4, an event that positioned Inhambane as a tourist capital, with the Government aiming to make the region an international reference by setting limits on domestic flight fares to ensure accessibility and territorial equity.
“The holding of the International Tourism Conference served as evidence and proof that the Government reaffirms its commitment to consolidating tourism as a driver of economic diversification, integrating it into the agendas of industrialization, the blue economy, environmental conservation, and digitalization,” said Impissa during the weekly press briefing.
The spokesperson also revealed that the Government intends to transform the National Institute of Tourism into a National Tourism Development and Investment Agency, whose mission will be to become a “one-stop shop for tourism investment,” including management of land for tourism purposes, organization of auctions and tourism concessions up to 25 years renewable, project evaluation and certification, and public-private partnerships.
The Government aims to position the country as a competitive international tourist destination and increase the sector’s contribution to 6% of GDP by 2029, within the framework of the Government’s Five-Year Program (PQG) led by President Daniel Chapo.
According to official data, revenues from international tourism exceeded 14.1 billion meticais (USD 221.2 million) in 2024, with projections to reach around 25 billion meticais (USD 391.9 million) by 2029. Over the same period, the number of workers in the sector is expected to rise from the current 14,600 to more than 22,100.
The 2025-29 PQG also foresees the strengthening of digital marketing mechanisms and the attraction of major international events as part of the strategy to position Mozambique as a destination for leisure, business, and conference tourism.
Government data indicates that in 2023 the country recorded over 870,000 tourist arrivals, 87% from Africa and 6% from Europe, particularly Portugal. This increase was partly driven by visa exemptions for citizens of 29 countries, under the current economic acceleration measures.
The Government believes tourism can consolidate as a key sector for economic diversification, with a direct impact on social inclusion, income generation, and the enhancement of the country’s natural and cultural resources.
