Mozambique tourism investment projects total US$900 million in 2009

Maputo, Mozambique, 30 March ? The Mozambican government in 2009 approved investment projects worth US$900 million in the tourism sector, the revenues of which totalled US$195 million, the Minister for Tourism said in Maputo.

At the opening session of the third national meeting on tourism planning, Fernando Sumbana said that ?tourism is a phenomenon and a socio-economic factor that is generating enormous benefits for the country,? and added that the sector last year had posted revenues of US$195 million, according to the international tourism revenues registered in the Balance of Payments.

The minister noted that the tourism sector had contributed 1.5 percent to Mozambique?s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In 2008, the sector posted revenues of around US$185 million, as compared to US$163 million in 2007, US$139 million in 2006 and US$108 million in 2005.

Figures for the sector showed that from 2004 to 2008, the number of international tourists almost doubled, rising from 711,000 tourists to over 1.5 million.

Of the tourists that visited Mozambique, most were from South Africa, the United Kingdom and Portugal.

Sourced=ETN