ITM 2014: Madagascar must keep communication under control in downturn times

The government’s concern for the national tourism branch suggests that Madagascar has recovered the right way up. During the year 2014’s International Tourism Fair, German Porras particularly focused on the institution awareness, in other words the ruling power’s involvement into the rescue of the undermined tourism branch. He outlined the possibility of cooperation between public and private sectors, considering the President’s consideration of tourism as “one of the Malagasy economy’s major pillars.”
“Everything is up to the client’s perception. A tourist visiting a place miles away from his own home, has proper needs by definition. Madagascar extensively has to pay attention to the tourist’s perception and assess risks and pending damages to affect this perception over and over again. A swift reaction pledges your recovery success” developed German Porras, the WTO expert. The shortest possible reaction time must be reflected by the crisis management plans as much as by the general communication protocol. The WTO expert provided in sum with standards to reconstruct a collapsed tourism branch. Computing reliable intel concerning the local market, namely booking and occupation rates, inflows, generated benefits, taxes, is of course compulsory as the first step in the recovery process: reaching pre crisis levels again. According to the WTO expert, the government has a role to play by alleviating charges, offering financial or tax assistance. The restoration or improvement of existing infrastructure and the construction of new facilities are a wise investment of this support in this process. “Still, no entirely public investment but rather a mixture of public and private investments” emphasized German Porras. Still in the local tourism branch recovery process, the WTO suggests the “open sky” strategy. Unlocking access to Madagascar’s air space has not yet caused traffic jam at the local international airfield of Ivato though. This was fortunately not the last measure suggested by German Porras. Extensively developing the national tourism attractiveness through its assets and the human personnel expected to come in first contact with the client remains the priority it always used to be. As for price policies, drops would be ill advised according to the WTO. “A temporary loss is better than switching position for good” he argued. Vola Raveloson, chief executive officer of the National Tourism Office, together with the ministry of tourism, expressed their gratitude to the WTO for its commitment to contribute to bring the local tourism branch on the way back up. 2008 remains Madagascar’s threshold year, with 375 000 foreign visitors and a plus DTS 302 millions high turnover. The political crisis caused the loss of more than 50% of visitors (162 000 tourists generating DTS 116 millions). 2012 proved a better year (256 000 tourists) before the year 2013’s minus 20% high relapse. The last stroke delivered by the orange classification of Nosy Be island by France did not contribute to improve anything.