Madagascar : Our Unique BIODIVERSITY the key to tourist dollars.

The government and our Malagasy tourist promoters must co-ordinate their efforts in promoting the unique bio-diversity of the biggest island in the Indian ocean. In a quote from the Gazette de la Grande Isle, ?Madagascar knows it faces very tough competition for the tourist dollar in our region of the world. Irène Andréas, Director of the National Tourism Office, makes the point « People don?t come here just to get a sun tan. » Malagasy authorities know we cannot compete on the same field as neighboring Mauritius. To develop our tourist industry, in need of real expansion, and nowhere close to what it should be, Madagascar needs to focus on the richness of our unique wildlife and heritage.  Jacques Sylla, the Prime Minister said it well. » Tourism serves as an economic catalyst. We must walk this road. We cannot compete with Mauritius for the whale watching, they already have that niche well filled. Besides it would take too long and cost too much. We must emphasize our BIO-DIVERSITY. Eco-tourism is the IN THING in the industry right now. This fits in perfectly for Madagascar, the red island. 160 million years ago our island broke off from the African sub-continent. The result of that is our unique flora and fauna 85% of which is to be found nowhere else in the whole world. Take the Baobab, we have 7 varieties while Africa has only one. We have 19, 000 unique vegetable species and 100,000 invertebrates.»