A huge African country with lush rainforests, pristine beaches and unique wildlife is a paradise without the crowds, thanks to its lack of tourists. However with a new vision for growth, now may be the time to visit, as the country's tourism minister, Viviane Dewa, set an ambitious goal to boost visitor numbers to 1 million by 2028.
Prior to the pandemic in 2019, tourism was on the rise in Madagascar, and it welcomed nearly 350,000 visitors. But covid put it on pause, and in 2022, numbers had dropped by around 60 percent, according to the ministry’s database. While the tourism sector is showing signs of recovery, having received 259,850 visitors in 2023, the place of extraordinary beauty still remains peaceful and relatively untouched.
Despite appearing small on a map, the island nation of Madagascar, known officially as the Republic of Madagascar, is actually the fourth largest island in the world offering diverse landscapes and endemic wildlife.
It is home to the lush rainforests of Andasibe-Mantadia, where you can see rare lemurs, chameleons and geckos, and the stunning beaches of Nosy Be, known for crystal-clear waters for diving and snorkeling.
The surreal landscapes of Tsingy de Bemaraha, a UNESCO World Heritage site, make for an unforgettable trek, with its dramatic limestone formations, caves and impressive canyons.
There is also kitesurfing in Sakalava Bay, or even motorbike tours around the country that holds around 3 percent of the world’s biodiversity.
Madagascar does however have its drawbacks, such as its road infrastructure, which makes getting around the island slightly difficult to remote places.
Some tour operators have begun personalised tours to explore harder-to-reach places, such as the Madascarenes agency, whose founder Christophe Caumes told African Business that “Madagascar still has that purity, that spontaneity that other countries have lost".
He added: “These days, luxury means exclusivity, it means being ‘alone in the world’, and that’s becoming extremely rare.”
Air travel is also a sticking point, and Madagascar plans to improve its connectivity by sea and air, both nationally and internationally, according to officials at the board of tourism.
