Malawi urges sustainability for country’s tourism

Malawi’s Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, Beaton Munthali on Monday appealed to the nation to rapidly respond to issues of climate change if the country’s tourism industry is to grow into a sustainable environment.

Speaking during the 2008 National Tourism Week, he observed that tourism was a great contributor to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions derived from the transport, aviation and accommodation services.

He said Malawi must seek to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through adoption of the Davos Declaration on Tourism and Climate Change, a global roadmap on how the sector could help in combating climate change.

"I appeal to all Malawians to take part in the promotion of tourism in the country, which is nature based, by adopting mitigation measures on climate change so that we boost the industry," he said.

He added that government recognised the need that all sectors have to develop in a sustainable manner for the development of the country.

"Sustainability in tourism advocates responsible tourism which meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," he said.

National Tourism Week is a forerunner to World Tourism Day which falls on 27th September each year. This Year’s World Tourism Week theme is “Responding to Climate Change.”