Malawi-Takulandirani
Africa has been always the frontier of travel adventure from slave riders to missionaries explorers, and adventure seekers to today’s wildlife adventure. Over time travel and tourism in the continent have taken different shapes and specializations. This process is still ongoing. Recently Malawi International Travel Expo proves that in the continent the brewing is still on. Malawi is brewing its unique product. For a decade or so Malawi has been one of the paradise for low-budget travelers especially the ones on the long haul tour tracks. This seems to be due to the nature of Malawi as a land country although with its own inland sea; Lake Malawi/Nyasa. (from former Nyasa Land)
The Malawi 4th International Travel Expo also known as Takulandirani seem to be the best way to introduce the country to many stakeholders, especially the one who will buy and sell the product. Malawi has been known for its vicious cycle of poverty for decades, and many of the effects of these inhuman living conditions hardly make world news. In between learning about the leisure of travel industry, there is a heavy cloud of what comes along with travel and tourism at this time. The expo demonstrates the Malawian products as well as foreign investment crafted from the country’s long battle of poverty. Here seems to be clear that the travel and tourism industry can’t ignore the huge package of sustainable development attached to it.
On post-expo familiarization safari there is a lot to make one wonder with such hard living there is still natural bounty timidly with wildlife as a sanctuary of landlock country with the dense human population. Before all one must take back Malawian warmness and gentleness, this is one of the characteristics of Malawians. Malawi has one unique landscape as it is part of the Great Rift Valley in the north where the Lake Malawi basing starts. Mulanje is a high point with several small mountains and isbeg rocks dot the rest of the country. Nature conservation and wildness leisure are still in their infancy in comparison to the southern part of the continent or if one would like to think of East Africa. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Tourism and the tourism stakeholders of this small hidden gem of Africa did amazing work to present the country to the world. It was a good opportunity to experience the effort to rise from the hit. The main challenge is to customize the country’s own product from regional competition and accessibility.
Malawi still offers great adventure travel opportunities due to its remoteness. The authenticity of cultures/traditions is another aspect that gives Malawi a unique niche. The recovery from COVID and adapting to domestic, regional, and global markets require a lot of effort and much-needed ability to link the diverse aspects of travel and tourism of today. The same goals adopted for global tourism will be handy here. Poverty brings much misery with it, Malawi has and is experiencing a huge catastrophe related to environmental degradation. Lack of good reusable energy and management has led to long deforestation in the country. Human rights, access to education, democracy, and many of these aspects an avoidable and become a central part of the expo. The open doors which brought foreigners seemed to open the local host’s eyes as well. Buyers and sellers work to draw the position of Malawi on the global map. This was a challenge for many it wasn’t just only the resilience and hardiship of life it was on how to sell the country with such a contrary profile. As everyone was picking up from the effort of the Ministry of Tourism and working jointly to host the visitors it became clear that travel and tourism is tools to bring people together to exchange and experience the difference and the alike together.
Malawi may not be exactly the “Out of Africa or Lion King” kind of safari destination but sure with good customization one can have the experience of “Lion King” mixed with ‘Wakanda”. This means one can have an old-school traditional safari and way of travel where you have your experience customized in a package from airport to back at the airport. This mainly wildlife viewing bit of cultural touch and possible sun basking on the glass water lake. Also, the young generation with different eyes on Africa can still customize their experiences online, through local tour operators, or by walking in the country. Mulanje mountain offers a good training destination for pro athletes and gentle endurance hiking compared to tough East African climbings. Home staying and cultural experience is one of the rich experiences of Malawi. Some parks such as Nyika Plateau National Park and Lake Malawi National Park at Cape Maclear are quite remote to offer a certain amount of isolation from Malawi’s dense population.
In this expo, one thing Malawi was able to prove is that even with little you can do wonders. It said that the national air carrier has two flights and operates jointly the Ethiopian airline managed to service its invites from and connecting in South Africa. Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines with connections to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and African regions showed that Malawi isn’t alone in the recovery effort.
