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| ‘Tourism drives economy’ |
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by
Moses Michael-Phiri, 04 August 2003
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07:54:16
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The Ministry of Tourism, Parks and Wildlife has said the tourism sector remains an important potential foreign exchange earner despite the current turmoil of financial markets in the Sadc region and beyond.
The ministry officials, however, noted that Malawi has focused heavily on physical development and capital investment instead of human resources, resulting in a shortage of skilled staff who can compete successfully in the tourism industry.
According to Assistant Director of Tourism (Research and Development) Bright Nyirenda, Malawi’s hospitality image could be enhanced if all people at the country’s entry points are professionals drilled on how to care for tourists visiting the country.
“Investors, developers and operators of tourism should understand that their ability to compete successfully in a highly competitive global market depends, in part, on their ability to maintain the legendary service standard that Malawi has been known for,” said Nyirenda in Blantyre on Thursday at the closing of a four-day workshop for tourism sector stakeholders.
Nyirenda said since 1994 government has shown commitment to developing the tourism sector which was in the past contributing to over 6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“We cannot sustainably develop tourism sector without proper knowledge and skills at work sites, especially in the field of customer care,’ he said.
He said tourism is the only industry that can replace ailing economies such as the tobacco industry, adding that tourism is also the second industry which provides income across the board.
“Tourism is one of the areas that significantly contribute to poverty reduction, It stimulates economic growth, it provides income and generates employment to masses in cities and rural areas,” he said.
Nyirenda added that multiplier effects of the tourism revenue in the economy trickle down to very rural communities hence the need to provide superior service to tourists entering the country.
He, therefore, appealed to the participants to bring about change in their respective institutions in the area of customer care.
A participant, Patricia Mwafulirwa, said in a separate interview the training workshop will help a lot in improving the hospitality image of the tourism industry.
“I strongly believe that we will be prudent enough to seek to improve our sense of responsibility and be a little more effective in dealing with a customer or tourist,” she said.
The workshop attracted officials from the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Air Malawi, Airport police, Civil Aviation, Air Cargo and Immigration department.
The workshop, centred on customer care in tourism, tackled issues like the role of tourism in Malawi, learning and appreciating the customer care concept, the role of Immigration in relation to customer care service and meeting customer expectations. |
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