• Madagascar signs new tourism deal with South Korea’s Good People International
  
  
• Plans include tourism office in South Korea, agritourism project in Moramanga
  
  
• Agreement aims to boost local products, skills, and visitor numbers by 2028
  

Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Crafts signed a new cooperation agreement with Good People International last week, the ministry said in a statement. The agreement strengthens a partnership with the South Korean community development organization that began in 2010.

The two parties plan to open a Madagascar tourism promotion office in South Korea to increase the island nation’s visibility in the Asian market and attract more Korean visitors. They also plan to launch a pilot agritourism and ecotourism project focused on macadamia cultivation in Moramanga.

The agreement also includes “the development of programs to promote Malagasy cocoa, coffee and craft products, with an emphasis on local processing and moving up the value chain, for their integration into high value-added tourism offerings,” according to the ministry’s statement.

The ministry said the agreement is another step in its efforts to strengthen its tourism and crafts sectors. The country is focusing on several priority areas, including upgrading artisans’ skills, modernizing production chains, enhancing natural sites with high potential, and developing community-based circuits that can generate sustainable income for local populations.

The choice of Good People International is based on the expertise the organization has built up over more than a decade in community development projects. It is involved in local training, community support and the promotion of income-generating activities.

The signing of the agreement comes as the country steps up its international collaborations to increase tourism competitiveness. It is part of a broader strategy to improve hospitality infrastructure, diversify tourism offerings and reach the goal of 1 million visitors by 2028, according to the ministry.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou