Almost a year after water from Lake Malawi and the Shire River flooded and disrupted activities of the tourism sector in Mangochi and other lakeshore districts, Business Times has established that some operators are yet to open.
We have also established that some of the operators are operating at half-scale because part of their facilities are still submerged.
According to the National Planning Commission, property and businesses worth K8.9 billion were affected by last year’s floods.
When we visited one of the sites in Mangochi, we were not allowed access to the facility, which is now in ruins.
At another facility, we found seven people, out of the usual contingent of 32, working.
In some resorts, where operations resumed in August and September last year, we still found traces of the floods.
In an interview, Tourism Council of Malawi Executive Director Memory Momba Kamthunzi acknowledged that the tourism sector had not fully recovered from the setback.
“Lake Malawi rising water levels in early 2024 had a significant impact on various hotels, resorts and cottages along its shores. For instance, some resorts and retreats reported a substantial decline in guest numbers due to safety concerns arising from the floods,” Kamthunzi said.
She said the current status is that some units have not been operating since then and might not open anytime soon because water levels have also started to increase, as predicted by the National Water Resources Authority (NWRA).
She revealed that on January 27 2025, the Industry, Trade and Tourism Committee convened a meeting with government officials to discuss the condition of lakeshore resorts that have been affected by rising water levels.
While specific details from this meeting are limited, Kamthunzi said there are ongoing governmental engagements which will soon pave the way for the sector’s recovery, considering that Tourism is among the biggest contributors to gross domestic product (GDP).
Among the issues which were discussed, Kamthunzi mentioned stricter licensing and construction regulations preventing illegal developments in riparian areas, proposed tax breaks to act as a relief for affected businesses and inter-agency coordination, which aligns with efforts for better risk management.
For long term solutions, Kamthunzi mentioned the need for strict contour line regulations which prohibit the construction of structures below a certain line to prevent future risks.
“Building flood control systems like dykes and drainage [systems], putting in place disaster preparedness and resettlement plans that also protect vulnerable communities can also help secure this sector, which is very critical for our national economic development,” she said.
Kamthunzi said the Council will soon conduct a comprehensive analysis to detail the exact number of tourism establishments that remain closed and might not open anytime soon so that a decision can be made based on the outcome.
In 2024, Lake Malawi experienced a significant increase in water levels, surpassing observations from the past decade and peaking at 476.38 metres above sea level between April 21- 25.
Latest reports and projections by NWRA show that the water levels are likely to increase higher than between April and May last year.
NWRA spokesperson Masozi Kasambala advised locals to take precautionary measures when developing their properties along the Lakeshore districts.
In Malawi, tourism contributes about 7 percent to GDP.
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