By Benadetta Chiwanda Mia:
Private sector tourism body-the Malawi Tourism Council (MTC) has said the sector is experiencing growth across multiple sub-sectors, with increasing local investment and innovation.
MTC Executive Director Memory Kamthunzi was speaking on the sidelines of an event in Blantyre announcing the resumption of the Malawi Tourism Industry Awards, scheduled to take place in Blantyre on November 29th, 2025.
Kanthunzi said the sector is witnessing renewed interest from investors and adoption of innovations, poised to boost growth.
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“From a private sector point of view, there’s so much development we are seeing when it comes to tourism. New hotels are coming up, local entrepreneurs are being innovative, and we have also seen growth in digital tourism,” she said.
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Kamthunzi noted that while the Tourism Investment Master Plan is designed to attract international investors, there is a need to first tap into local investment, as many Malawians are increasingly showing interest to invest in tourism.
However, Kamthunzi said despite the milestones, challenges such as poor road networks and limited aviation infrastructure, is hindering access to tourist destinations.
“Despite these gaps, we are heading in the right direction. We have seen that there is political will and government support, as well as strong collaboration between the public and private sectors, so the future of Malawi’s tourism looks bright,” Kamthunzi added.
She further revealed that the 2025 Malawi Tourism Industry Awards, will celebrate innovation, sustainability, women and youth in tourism, green investments, and emerging areas such as film tourism.
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“The theme for this year resonates with the trends shaping the industry today. We are celebrating collaboration and innovation as drivers of excellence in the sector,” she said.
On his part, Regional Tourism Officer for the South in the Ministry of Tourism, Gift Mwale, said Mwale also disclosed that the government is stepping up efforts to strengthen regulation and standards in the sector.
“Parliament recently passed a new bill establishing the Malawi Tourism Authority, which will focus specifically on regulating standards in the industry. This will ensure that every operator in the tourism sector provides quality services that meet international expectations,” Mwale said.
Mwale said the 2025 awards will motivate industry players to uphold service excellence.
The tourism sector contributes about 10 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to the Malawi Government Annual Economic Report 2025.
