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Sustainable Tourism in Mozambique |
 Vilanculos is situated +/- 750 km north of Maputo, which is on average a 10 hours drive. With a population of just over 135,000 (residing within the district), the main economic activities are tourism, trade and commerce, services, fisheries and agriculture. Tourism is undoubtedly the major industry and employer of local residents. The town on located on the coast in the northern part of Inhambane Province. The town is “protected” by an archipelago consisting of 5 islands, namely: Bazaruto, Benguerra, Santa Carolina, Magaruque and Banque, which due to their natural beauty and extensive marine life have been demarcated as the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park since 1971, and since then the islands have been administered in terms of the Park’s Management Plan.
Governments across the globe have been using tourism as a way to boost local economies of their cities and Mozambique is no different. The Mozambican Government has indentified Priority Areas for Tourism Investment (PATI) all across the country and has allocated projects to these areas in order to ensure that these areas are invested in and developed. An example is the Transfronteir Conservation Areas and Tourism Development Project (TFCA TDP), which is to be implemented over a period of 15 to 20 years and is founded on the principle that there is a symbiotic relationship between conservation and tourism, and that tourism development should contribute to the improved welfare of local communities. If the local population is active participant in the industry, tourism can succeed in lifting the quality of life for all concerned.
Under the TFCA TDP, the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) with support through a Global Environment Facility grant has commissioned the development of a District Tourism Master Pal for Vilankulos (DTMP).
The objectives for preparation of the DTMP are:
- Support the preparation of a District Development Plan (DDP) and Spatial Development Plan for Vilankulo District.
- Support the DDP in setting foundations for sustainable tourism planning and assisting MITUR to set procedures for establishing a comprehensive and clear process of land demarcation for tourism investment.
- Emphasise linkages to other tourism attractions and activities beyond the District boundaries, including the tourism routes identified in the SPTD.
- Provide detailed spatial planning for a three kilometre area along the Marginal in Vilanculos town, developed in conjunction with local stakeholders, in order to direct investment in public infrastructure and identify concession opportunities for private investment.
- Consider tourism planning for the rest of the District, including Vilanculos town and Bazaruto.
- Support an ethic of sustainable development through the application of a number of specified planning tools in the preparation of the DTMP.
- Provide at least two detailed investment proposals that will accelerate the process of attracting tourism investors to the District.
 Issues
The people of Vilankulo District reap only a small proportion of the benefits of the island-based tourism economy. The linkages of the local economy and culture, from a range of tourism products on offer in and around the coastal towns of Vilanculos and Inhassoro and further south at San Sebastian, are limited.
The majority of tourists arriving in Vilankulos are heading for the high-end resorts of the islands and therefore most of these visitors do not spend time on the mainland which means that there are no benefits to the mainland communities. The mainland tourism establishments are the primary source of employment for the mainland population. However, the majority of the population, particularly in the rural areas, are not employed in the formal sector. People depend mainly on fishing and subsistence agriculture and on remittances from migrant labourers. Livelihood strategies are not sufficient to meet household cash and food requirements and seasonality is a major challenge for individuals and communities, with some periods of every year bringing considerable hardship. Of those who are employed in the tourism industry, few speak English and their roles are therefore curtailed to the lower-paid positions of cooking and cleaning.
There are currently few, or no, opportunities for tourists to participate in or witness local traditional ceremonies or even contemporary cultural events such as performing arts and local cuisine. Even at the Marginal – an area with huge potential for cultural exchange – there is currently only one beach bar in operation.
The town’s infrastructure is in a poor state of repair. During tourism peak season, the airport is stretched beyond capacity both in terms of landings and take-offs as well as terminal facilities. The national road, EN1, that links the town to Maputo and Beira (third largest city in Mozambique) has been upgraded but there are still two sections in the south where conditions over a 70-80km distance mean that travelling speed is reduced to 60-80 km/h. Local roads are in very poor condition and there is motorist-pedestrian conflict in the central market area of the town. Crime is an obstacle to a healthy tourist industry, and local tourism stakeholders recognize that there is a high incidence of tourist-directed petty crime in Vilanculos. Local leaders ascribe this to poor levels of understanding among local people of the benefits of sustainable tourism.
Conclusion
The untapped potential of Vilankulo’s cultural and environmental assets provides the key to materialising the vision of a world class destination that is diverse, accessible and safe. However, the current pressure for tourism and leisure development along the coast, particularly to the north of Vilanculos town, requires careful management so that physical development goes hand in hand with social development and does not destroy the asset base. The prioritisation of development strategies should ensure that development is supported by environmental protection measures and social development, and a strong governance foundation is established in order to ensure an ongoing broad-based co-operative effort towards sustainable tourism development.
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