Tourism in Madagascar
Encyclopedia
Despite a high potential for tourism, tourism in Madagascar is underdeveloped. Madagascar
's tourist attractions include its beaches and biodiversity
. The island's endemic wildlife and forests are unique tourist attractions.
equal to 20% of the island's land area. Tourism is concentrated in three areas; around the Madagascar's capital Antananarivo
, and the islands of Nosy Be
in the northwest and Île Sainte-Marie
to the east, where beach tourism is the main tourist attraction.
has been isolated from the African landmass for approximately 165 million years and its flora and fauna evolved in isolation from that time onwards. The island is one of the world's most biologically diverse areas, with many endemic species. More than half of the island's breeding birds are endemic. Other endemic species include the Red-bellied Lemur
, the Indri
, and the Aye-aye
. It is internationally renowned as a wildlife tourism
and ecotourism
destination, focusing on lemur
s, birds, and orchids. The Indri is the largest lemur species. One of the best places to observe the Indri is the Analamazoatra Reserve
(also known as Périnet), four hours away from the capital. The presence of the Indri has helped to make the Analamazoatra Reserve one of Madagascar's most popular tourist attractions. One family group of Indri in the park is habituated to humans and are thus easy for tourists for observe.
312,000 tourists visited Madagascar in 2006. Since 1990, the number of tourists in the country has grown at an average rate of 11% each year. 60% of its tourists are French
, who form the majority of Madagascar's tourists because of cultural and historical links between the and flight routes. Highly educated people who are interested in the country's botany, lemurs, birds, or natural history also make up a large part of its visitors. These visitors often travel as part of a tour and stay in the country for a long period of time. Most of Madagascar's tourism is low volume, high cost tourism.
In the mid 1990s, tourism was the country's second largest export earner, bringing in US$50 million annually. For 2007, tourism's contribution to Madagascar's GDP (direct and indirect impact) was estimated to account for 6.3% of GDP and 206,000 jobs (5.1% total employment).
The tourist industry was badly damaged in late 2001 because of a political crisis and following economic recession. The number of tourists in 2002 fell, but the tourism industry subsequently recovered and continued to grow steadily.
and Mauritius
islands, and is the smallest among the islands in the Indian Ocean
.
Madagascar's government has promoted tourism as an economic development strategy. With over 70% of the country living in poverty, tourism is seen as a way to reduce poverty and provide economic growth. Tourism is currently the second largest foreign exchange earner in the country, and the government hopes to increase this share. Still in the early stages of development, there is large potential for the tourist industry to grow as Madagascar's infrastructure improves. The tourism industry has a number of large challenges. Travel and tourism is poorly diversified, infrastructure is poor, roads are poorly paved, and airline travel is expensive and unreliable. There are few high quality hotels, and less that meet international standards;
Madagascar has approximately 550 hotels, about 110 of which have been classified as meeting international standards. Air Madagascar
and Air France
dominate air travel, which makes the price of flights expensive. The country's status as a long-haul destination further increases prices.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
's tourist attractions include its beaches and biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. The island's endemic wildlife and forests are unique tourist attractions.
Tourist attractions
Madagascar has world class tourism assets, and a high potential for tourism because of its biodiversity, unique wildlife, and long coastline. It is the world's fourth largest island, with almost 5000 km (3,107 mi) of coastline and a large continental shelfContinental shelf
The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain. Much of the shelf was exposed during glacial periods, but is now submerged under relatively shallow seas and gulfs, and was similarly submerged during other interglacial periods. The continental margin,...
equal to 20% of the island's land area. Tourism is concentrated in three areas; around the Madagascar's capital Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, and the islands of Nosy Be
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is an island located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Nosy Be is Madagascar's largest and busiest tourist resort. It has an area of 312 km2 and its population was officially estimated at 36,636 in 2001....
in the northwest and Île Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie, known as Nosy Boraha , is an island off the east coast of Madagascar. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The city covers an area of 222 km2, and had a population estimated at 16,325 in 2001.- City :...
to the east, where beach tourism is the main tourist attraction.
has been isolated from the African landmass for approximately 165 million years and its flora and fauna evolved in isolation from that time onwards. The island is one of the world's most biologically diverse areas, with many endemic species. More than half of the island's breeding birds are endemic. Other endemic species include the Red-bellied Lemur
Red-bellied Lemur
The Red-bellied Lemur is a medium sized prosimian with a luxuriant chestnut brown coat. This lemur is endemic to eastern Madagascan rainforests and is distinguished by patches of white skin below the eyes, giving rise to a "teardrop" effect, particularly conspicuous in the male.The species, first...
, the Indri
Indri
The indri , also called the babakoto, is one of the largest living lemurs. It is a diurnal tree-dweller related to the sifakas and, like all lemuroids, it is native to Madagascar.- Etymology :...
, and the Aye-aye
Aye-aye
The aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
. It is internationally renowned as a wildlife tourism
Wildlife tourism
Wildlife tourism can be an eco and animal friendly tourism, usually showing animals in their natural habitat. Wildlife tourism, in its simplest sense, is watching wild animals in their natural habitat...
and ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
destination, focusing on lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s, birds, and orchids. The Indri is the largest lemur species. One of the best places to observe the Indri is the Analamazoatra Reserve
Analamazoatra Reserve
Analamazoatra Reserve is a wildlife reserve of Madagascar, and is part of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. The reserve is toward the northeast portion of the island, and is nearly centered between the coast....
(also known as Périnet), four hours away from the capital. The presence of the Indri has helped to make the Analamazoatra Reserve one of Madagascar's most popular tourist attractions. One family group of Indri in the park is habituated to humans and are thus easy for tourists for observe.
Tourist numbers
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, who form the majority of Madagascar's tourists because of cultural and historical links between the and flight routes. Highly educated people who are interested in the country's botany, lemurs, birds, or natural history also make up a large part of its visitors. These visitors often travel as part of a tour and stay in the country for a long period of time. Most of Madagascar's tourism is low volume, high cost tourism.
In the mid 1990s, tourism was the country's second largest export earner, bringing in US$50 million annually. For 2007, tourism's contribution to Madagascar's GDP (direct and indirect impact) was estimated to account for 6.3% of GDP and 206,000 jobs (5.1% total employment).
The tourist industry was badly damaged in late 2001 because of a political crisis and following economic recession. The number of tourists in 2002 fell, but the tourism industry subsequently recovered and continued to grow steadily.
Development of tourism
There is growing interest in the country as a tourist destination. The country has beautiful landscapes and the cultural resources to support tourism. These resources provide many opportunities for the development of both ecotourism and resort based tourism. Despite this growth in tourism, its tourism industry is very small. Its tourist industry is much smaller than those of the neighbouring SeychellesSeychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
islands, and is the smallest among the islands in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
Madagascar's government has promoted tourism as an economic development strategy. With over 70% of the country living in poverty, tourism is seen as a way to reduce poverty and provide economic growth. Tourism is currently the second largest foreign exchange earner in the country, and the government hopes to increase this share. Still in the early stages of development, there is large potential for the tourist industry to grow as Madagascar's infrastructure improves. The tourism industry has a number of large challenges. Travel and tourism is poorly diversified, infrastructure is poor, roads are poorly paved, and airline travel is expensive and unreliable. There are few high quality hotels, and less that meet international standards;
Madagascar has approximately 550 hotels, about 110 of which have been classified as meeting international standards. Air Madagascar
Air Madagascar
Société Nationale Malgache de Transports Aériens, Société Anonyme, operating as Air Madagascar, is an airline based in Antananarivo, Madagascar. It is the national airline operating services to Europe, Asia and neighbouring African and Indian Ocean island destinations. It also operates an extensive...
and Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
dominate air travel, which makes the price of flights expensive. The country's status as a long-haul destination further increases prices.