Madagascar will be present to the Crossroads of Niort

Madagascar will be present in Niort, Poitou-Charentes, France, in the setting of the “Carrefour des métiers de bouche et de l’hôtellerie”. For this 2009 edition, promoters were keen on featuring the “long term products” more particularly. They are all about bio food or renewable energy uses… 

About thirty Malagasy participants will be present at the “Parc des Expositions de Noron” in Niort. They will be local cooking and gastronomy, handicraft and inn keeping experts. “We are keen on displaying our presence, just to say that we are still around”, underlined the president of the FHORM. According to Eric Kohler, the flow of French tourists has plummeted by 50% because of the political crisis. 

The FHORM is taking part into the “Carrefour des métiers de bouche et de l’hôtellerie” to restore the Great Isle’s attractiveness. Because of the acute collapse of visits, reminding Madagascar’s welcoming quality proved itself necessary. Madagascar is going to be granted a 500m² wide area. 

During the first semester of 2009, travellers have been advised against any stay in the country by Foreign Affairs Offices, including that of France. Merely 20% of the usual number of tourists dared the odds and made the trip anyway. The insecurity climate on national roads has also been deterring. As a consequence, technical unemployment nearly engulfed the whole sector.