In a bid to achieve the ambitious goal of making Malawi an aviation hub for tourists, Rayoni Tourism Airlines, has unveiled plans to expand flight connectivity between Malawi and Tanzania.
Public Relations Officer for the company Alex Ngulube has said that the flight services, expected to start in July this year, will help to attract more tourists to the country which will boost revenue for the hospitality and tourism industry.
Ngulube told ProjectM that Malawi remains a popular destination for tourists with a number of scenic mountains, game reserves and lakes among others yet most of these tourist hotspots have not been explored.
He said: “In the past two years, the Northern part of Malawi has been a must visit destination and we have attracted so many tourists around the world because of the exceptional travel and touring packages that we do provide to our customers.
“We have now signed an agreement with the Ethiopian Airlines Group for the marketing of our touring packages and their transportation to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar in Tanzania and our airline shall pick them upon completing their tours in that country. Currently, we have a 10-day touring package covering Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, Nyika and Likoma Island.”
In readiness for the operations, Ngulube said the company will build a 195-room hotel, shopping Mall that will sell locally made products, construct Rayoni International Conference Centre which will be offering facilities for meetings and many more.
He said: ”This facility represents a significant milestone in regional aviation addressing growing demand for affordable travel options, promoting tourism and stimulating economic growth in our beautiful region.
“For the aircraft that will be operating within the country, will accommodate a minimum of 12 passengers, but for international travels we are yet to reveal.”
Commenting on the matter, Economic Association of Malawi Acting President Dr Bertha Bangala Chikadza, who is a lecturer at Malawi University of Science and Technology, says airports act as a hub for boosting government’s revenue through various forms of taxes, custom duties and other related fees and charges.
She adds that these facilities are linked to improvements in real estate and infrastructural growth because demand for services around or near airports increases, therefore, facilitating economic activity.
Said Dr Chikadza: ”This will also help create diverse job opportunities for both skilled and low wage labour thereby reducing unemployment levels in the country. As for other sectors which are connected to the airline industry such as transport and tourism will also have their businesses benefitting from this development ”
Alex Ngulube of Rayoni Tourism Airlines can be contacted on: 0884 240 300
