Antsiranana, la diversité pour relancer le tourisme

Antsiranana, the diversity to re-launch tourism 

The international day for tourism will be celebrated in Antsiranana from September 25th to 27th, 2009. Its main theme will be the conservation of diversity. The event is transcribing the will to re-launch tourist sector, recently put on the brink of collapse because of the political crisis. 

In Antsiranana, the diversity in question won’t concern that the nature. The national day for tourism is going to celebrate the country’s abundance in traditions and customs. “The stake is to determine is this diversity going to be exploited and turned into a tourist product”, suggested the Tourism Minister, Irène Andréas. 

Antsiranana has been chosen because this city of the country’s north is part of the rare ones to have recovered a certain steady resumption following the attempt to kick-start the sector of tourism. “Every year, we strain to unveil a destination “, recalled the Tourism Minister. 

Irène Andréas underlined that Antsiranana has just benefited from new infrastructures and opened new hotels. The celebration of the international day for tourism will also be the opportunity to enhance the bay of Diego which is celebrating this year the 509th birthday of its discovery. 

Without surprise, the year 2009 will be very bad for the sector. “The crisis began right with the usual reservation period”, explained minister Andréas. She is estimating a 50% drop of the flow of tourists in the country, or about 75 000 persons since the beginning of the year. According to the minister, the border formalities must not penalize the tourists who must be required any entry Visa. 

The ministry and the national office of Tourism don’t give up promoting the sector and already prepare the year 2010. National assemblies and a show on tourism will be organized in November