USAID HAY TAO ACTIVITY STRATEGY TO REVITALIZE TOURISM

Before the pandemic, tourism contributed significantly to Madagascar's economic and social development, with all major tourism indicators up considerably in 2019. However, lockdown and border closure measures linked to the global health situation had disastrous consequences on the tourism industry. The government's measures included financial facilitation of the tourism sector, such as extended deadlines for tax payments and funding and financial support to tourism businesses through various mechanisms. Technical measures included capacity building of actors, as well as social measures such as high-intensity labor programs and loans to employees affiliated to CNaPS, the national social security fund. Other actions initiated to stimulate growth in the tourism sector included the organization of events to promote tourism products, the training of tourism operators to improve the quality of offers with sanitary materials, and the international promotion of Madagascar as a tourist destination through labeling and the progressive reopening of borders. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Tourism, private operators grouped within the Confederation of Tourism of Madagascar (CTM) and the National Office of Tourism of Madagascar (ONTM) developed a strategy to revitalize tourism based on seven strategic focus areas. These focus areas included investment stimulation, promotion of the destination, capacity building of tourism actors, improvement of good governance in the tourism sector, digital transformation, development of partnerships and resource mobilization, and development of the tourism sector through an integrated government approach. The strategy's roadmap for implementation identified short- and medium-term results, with the Ministry of Tourism taking note of the importance of this strategy and issuing an addendum to the crisis exit strategy as a follow-up action towards recovery. The addendum is structured around three main areas: priority follow-up measures, measures to boost national tourism, and measures to strengthen the regulatory framework of tourism. To ensure coordination of tourism sector revival efforts, the synergy between the public and private sectors, with the support of technical and financial partners, is more necessary than ever. With the reopening of borders since October 2021, the government intends to move up another gear in its efforts to put the tourism sector, a major foreign exchange earner and a catalyst for the economy, back on track. The government of Madagascar has established a plan to revitalize the tourism sector, with the goal of preserving 330,000 direct jobs and supporting 1.5 million Malagasy people living from tourism. The plan includes four main sections: repositioning the destination Madagascar on the world tourism map, implementing a crisis exit and survival strategy, implementing a recovery strategy, and planning the reopening of borders. The repositioning of the destination Madagascar on the world tourism map involves reinforcing communication on the opening of borders, developing and promoting sustainable tourism through outdoor activities, promoting workation (digital nomad), and reinforcing communication on the destination and its offers. The crisis exit and survival strategy includes measures such as providing financial support to tourism businesses, implementing a moratorium on tax and social obligations, and providing subsidies to local guides. The recovery strategy involves implementing measures to boost national tourism, such as promoting tourism between regions, communicating and promoting the contribution of tourism to the economy and environment, and restoring the domestic air network. The plan also includes measures to strengthen the regulatory framework of tourism, such as combating informality, cooperating with bilateral tourism partners, and establishing a COVID-SAFE certification label recognized internationally. The government has also established a plan for the reopening of borders, which includes classifying countries into two categories based on restriction criteria, listing countries to be updated periodically, and requiring travelers to undergo RT-PCR testing 72 hours before departure, provide an attestation of reservation and payment of hotels for 4 nights, and sign a letter of commitment to confinement for 5 days.