Macaneta braces up to become regional benchmark tourism destination – Mozambique

The Minister of Culture and Tourism,
Silva Dunduro, is stressing the need to plan Macaneta locality as a
major national tourist destination.

The construction of the bridge over the
river Incomáti connecting Marracuene village to the beaches of Macaneta
has given new impetus to the process of development of Macaneta township
in Maputo province. New tourist developments are opening locally every
day.

In order to oversee development, the
Association of Economic Agents of Marracuene organized last Friday in
Macaneta a seminar to discuss the Plan of Development and Sustainable
and Harmonious Management of Macaneta’s Tourist Destination.

The Minister of Culture and Tourism,
Silva Dunduro, the District Administrator of Marracuene, Avelino
Muchine, the President of the Association of Economic Agents of
Marracuene, João Das Neves, representative of MITADER, Lizy Matos, the
secretary general of the Union of Hotels and Tourism Industry, Luis
Macuácua, along with state officials, businesspeople, community leaders
and other stakeholders attended.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar,
Silva Dunduro stressed the need to invest in tourism as an engine of the
country’s economic development fundamental in promoting the country’s
sustainable development and the well-being of its communities.

President of the Association of Economic
Agents of Marracuene, João das Neves, said that the Municipality of
Macaneta offered enormous opportunities for tourism development that, if
well-used, would contribute to the socio-economic growth and
improvement of the living conditions of communities, but that speedy and
good planning was essential.

“The district of Marracuene in general,
and in particular the beaches of Macaneta, have the potential to become
one of the most attractive tourist spots in the region, provided that
correct plans are implemented right away,” das Neves said.

Das Neves stressed the need to harness
and exploit existing resources in the locality in a harmonious and
concerted way for the good of local communities and entrepreneurs.

Despite the optimism, there were
challenges to be overcome, namely the absence of an urban development
plan for the site, the need to define a public beach and create basic
infrastructure, the need to improve access roads and the quality of
electricity supply, address poor distribution of drinking water and
better order the informal market.

In another development, the President of
the Association of Economic Agents (AGEM), stated that there is an
urgent need to plan the development of Macaneta and the type of business
done there, along with who will do it and how, in order to avoid
overloads in certain areas that may conflict with sustainable and
harmonious development. João das Neves added that if care was not taken
to properly manage the number visitors, there was a risk of damaging the
very environment that currently attracts so many visitors, sending the
future of Macaneta off down a dark and winding road.

As an example, Das Neves explained that
there is no defined public beach for bathers and no public bathroom,
although Macaneta is visited every weekend by thousands of people.

Suzana Cardoso, Director of District Services for Economic Activities,
explained that the Macaneta has six neighborhoods, five schools, a
health center and a police station. It has infrastructure built mostly
with a combination of local and conventional material, and boasts 198
tourist rooms, 455 beds, six campsites and other tourist attractions.

At the end of the seminar, District
Administrator Avelino Muthxini highlighted the importance of the event,
reaffirming the government’s commitment to the sustainable development
of Macaneta and its continuing willingness to work with economic
stakeholders and local communities.