Established on a ground of 3 ha, the Grand Hotel of Tsingy de Bemaraha is a ecolodge of 3 stars promises to the visitors of the park Tsingy de Bemaraha:
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After a few years of silence caused by Covid 19, the tourism sector in Madagascar is beginning to regain some semblance of a return to normal. A few recovery projects are already underway, including the reopening of air flights and the resumption of visits to various tourist sites throughout the Big Island.
More recently, the Ministry of Tourism announced another resumption of activities which will be more active on the marine theme. It is in fact the return of cruise tourism to Madagascar. On the program, up to 6 cruise ships which will dock in the territorial waters of the Big Island.
The arrival of the first liner in Toamasina marks the end of the sabbatical years of cruise tourism in Madagascar. The Hanseatic Spirit was there in October 2022. First docking in Toamasina, it also offered other coasts of the big island, such as Majunga, Fort Dauphin, Bombetoka, etc.
On board, German tourists who were discovering Madagascar for the first time or who were producing for the umpteenth time in order to rediscover the beauty of the island.
After the Hanseatic Spirit, another liner approaches the Malagasy coast in February. It is the MS Hartania which, this time, decides to make landfall in Antsiranana then in Nosy Be. On board, always German tourists composed mainly of retirees and lovers of exotic islands.
If the visitors were happy to see or see Madagascar again, its landscape and its splendors, the local inhabitants who waited on the spot were less enthusiastic. The cause ? They have not been able to benefit from the economic fallout that they had hoped for.
According to reports, German tourists were not too interested in souvenirs or Malagasy dishes prepared in restaurants. They rushed directly into the nature reserve and the places to discover. They preferred to stroll around the city and enjoy the breath of fresh air. In summary, German tourists do not buy or overspend their money on various purchases.
Shop owners, restaurateurs, pastry chefs and street vendors have complained about this disinterest. They claim that Germans are less spenders than other tourist profiles, especially those of French and American origin, for example.
When the Madagascans complain of declining money inflows, tourists have also been faced with technical problems.
This particularly concerns the facilities to welcome them on their arrival. Like the case of the pontoon to receive passengers during the stopover in Majunga for example.
According to the witnesses, there was no platform to facilitate the descent of the seniors. These people therefore deplored this kind of situation and even declared that they would not return to Majunga during the next visit.
Local tourist operators have sent a cry of alarm to the Malagasy state and especially to the Ministry of Tourism to take these inconveniences seriously. They are hoping for a helping hand in order to quickly improve the situation and not damage the reputation of the region.
While waiting for things to progress, the ministry has already announced the arrival of a next liner in March 2023.
At the same time, there is also a significant expectation for international flights to Madagascar. Many airlines want to join the big island but have not yet had positive responses from the Malagasy state. A story to follow!
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