Mozambique seeks benefit of Turkey's tourism experience

MAPUTO, Mozambique (AA) - Mozambique’s culture and tourism minister told Anadolu Agency that Turkey can help the southeastern African state improve its tourism sector.

Silva Armando Dunduro said the country has become one of the biggest tourist destinations in its region in recent years.

Stating that Mozambique has a great tourism potential with its 2,700- kilometer coastline on the Indian Ocean, Dunduro said the Tourism Ministry was founded in 2000 in order to better manage the country’s tourism potential.

Tourism is the fourth-largest source of income for Mozambique's economy, he said.

- ‘Turkey can help us’

Dunduro added that Mozambique's lack of human resources is the biggest problem facing tourism in the country and that it could become a major tourism hub if they had better technical knowledge.

"Turkey can help us especially in the areas of restoration, marketing, and accommodation. This year we signed two different agreements in the field of culture and tourism. We aim to bring one million tourists from Asia and Europe via Turkey" to Mozambique, he said.

This January, Turkey and Mozambique signed six agreements in various domains, including culture and tourism, during an official visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

- Travel agency partnerships

Dunduro said more and more Turkish citizens travel the world as tourists every year and so it is very important to understand their reasons for traveling and what they like.

''Learning their preferences is very important at this stage,'' he added.

"Tourism is not just a hotel, it’s also an airport. Currently, Turkish companies are contributing to these fields,'' he said. ''Good-quality construction means tourism growth at the same time."

"We know of the quality of construction companies in Turkey and we have to work to attract these companies to our country," Dunduro said, referring to Mozambique's recent construction boom.

"Mozambique is a very safe country… tourists who come to my country can travel safely," he said.

Dunduro, inviting Turkey's tourism industry to Mozambique, said that those wanting to see the opportunities in his country could attend the International Tourism Fair there set for this October.

There are around 40 Turkish companies operating in Mozambique with a total investment of almost $200 million. The number of Turkish companies, particularly in the construction sector, is rising, according to Turkey’s Foreign Ministry.