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REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
REPORT
MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING
STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................. 3
Background and Introduction .................................................................. 4
Overall Vision and Goals.......................................................................... 6
Source Markets and Market Segmentation ............................................. 8
Product Lines .......................................................................................... 27
Destination Branding ............................................................................. 37
Strategic Marketing Action Plan ............................................................ 43
Imprint ..................................................................................................... 57
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Particip GmbH, in association with mascontour GmbH, has been contracted by Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to implement the Tourism Component “Support to the Tour-
ism Value Chain” of the “More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) Programme” in Malawi.
One major goal of this assignment was the development of a Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework for
Malawi that should enable public and private tourism stakeholder to market the destination in a strategic and
result-oriented manner.
The Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework covers the following five key elements:
Definition of an overall vision and strategic goals to guide Malawi´s internal decision-making process
concerning strategic and operational tourism marketing measures
Determination of main source markets and appropriate market segments
Definition of suitable and competitive product lines
Identification of Malawi´s tourism brand essence and development of a clear brand message
Development of a strategic marketing action plan
To achieve broad participation, empowerment and ownership among relevant public and private stakeholders
with regard to the proposed strategic direction and measures of the strategy a consultation process has been
arranged.
As a result of this consultation process the present report includes the jointly agreed Malawi Tourism Mar-
keting Strategy Framework for the next five years (2017-2021) which should serve at the same time as
decision-making basis for its final and official approval by the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Indus-
try, Trade and Tourism.
Executive Summary
Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021)
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Since February 2015 the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is imple-
menting the “More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) Programme” in Malawi. MIERA’s goal
is to enhance incomes and employment opportunities, particularly for poorer sections of the rural population, by
supporting MSMEs and smallholder farmers to embrace new marketing approaches and make greater efforts
to add value to their produce. The programme applies a value chain approach and has selected an initial group
of agricultural and non-agricultural value chains for development: casava, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, tour-
ism and eco-friendly construction (in peri-urban areas). The aim is to link up small-scale producers and business
entities with formal or structured market channels, which will enable them to access higher-value markets and
thus increase their income.
Particip GmbH, in association with mascontour GmbH, has been contracted by GIZ to implement the Tourism
Component “Support to the Tourism Value Chain” of the MIERA Programme. The tourism component aims
at contributing to the overall MIERA Programme through activities in the following sub-components:
(a) Strengthen vocational education and training in the tourism sector;
(b) Strengthen development and marketing of tourism products;
(c) Establishment of national and regional networks.
In February 2016 mascontour GmbH started to support the accomplishment of sub-component (b) “Strengthen
development and marketing of tourism products” through technical advice. The overall aim of this assignment
was the development of a Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework for Malawi that should enable public and
private tourism stakeholder to market the destination in a strategic and result-oriented manner.
As a first step a comprehensive tourism situation analysis has been conducted with the aim to
indicate the status quo of Malawi’s tourism development;
analyze existing strengths and weaknesses as well as
identify needs for action with the aim to achieve appropriate long-term framework conditions for a suc-
cessful marketing of Malawi as a tourism destination.
The tourism situation analysis included a detailed desk research and a field trip to Malawi for visiting the
most important tourism hotspots and conducting interviews with public and private stakeholders of Malawi´s
tourism sector (15-28 February 2016). The analysis covered the following 15 key topics:
Background and Introduction
Key Topics of the Tourism Situation Analysis
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Based on the findings and results of the tourism situation analysis mascontour GmbH developed a draft Tour-
ism Marketing Strategy Framework for Malawi. Moreover, a consultation process has been arranged to
achieve broad participation, empowerment and ownership among relevant stakeholders with regard to the pro-
posed strategic direction and measures of the strategy. This process included the implementation of four con-
sultative workshops: one public sector workshop in Lilongwe (28 October 2016) as well as three private sector
workshops in Mzuzu (21 November 2016), Lilongwe (23 November 2016) and Blantyre (25 November 2016).
During these workshops the draft Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework has been presented and intensively
discussed with public and private representatives of the tourism sector.
As a result of this consultation process the present report includes the jointly agreed Malawi Tourism Mar-
keting Strategy Framework for the next five years (2017-2021) which should serve at the same time as
decision-making basis for its final and official approval by the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Indus-
try, Trade and Tourism. The strategy covers the following five key elements:
Key Elements of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Even though many strategic documents and policy papers are
in place, tourism lacks an overall marketing vision and
clear political direction.
The current tourism governance conditions resulting generally
in a more activity than strategy based marketing approach.
There are a huge number of ongoing marketing efforts but no
clear evidence about their outputs and impacts.
Malawi requires a consistent tourism marketing strategy to
create planning security and to enable strategically based de-
cision making.
The overall spirit of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework is focused on two principles: “Doing
the right things” (strategic approach) and “Doing things right” (operational approach) following a partic-
ipatory approach that should create ownership and empowerment among public and private stakeholders for
a joint and cooperative implementation of the strategy.
The following vision and strategic goals of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework serve as a
clear, future-oriented and inspiring roadmap for public and private tourism stakeholders as well as are intended
to guide Malawi´s internal decision-making process concerning strategic and operational tourism marketing
measures for the upcoming five years (2017-2021).
Overall Vision and Goals
Spirit of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework
Broad Participation
Creation of Ownership
Stakeholder Empowerment
Joint Implementation
Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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To raise the effectiveness and economic impact of tourism marketing efforts in terms of
targeted positioning and visibility in key markets,
provision of attractive, quality-driven and customized product solutions as well as
professional promotion of a clear brand image of Malawi
making it to a reliable and competitive travel destination and tourism business partner in Southern Africa.
Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021)
VISION
Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021)
STRATEGIC GOALS
Goal 1: Source Markets and Market Segmentation
Identify, determine and prioritize promising source countries and appropriate market segments to pursue a customized and tailor-made marketing approach.
Goal 2: Product Lines
Structure and bundle existing tourism products and activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and convincingly to the target audience.
Goal 3: Destination Branding
Underpin and substantiate the destination brand image of Malawi to extract its competitive advantages as well as to communicate a coherent image and brand message.
Goal 4: Strategic Marketing Action Plan
Develop the baseline for innovative and future-oriented marketing measures which are strategically linked with promising source countries and appropriate market segments.
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Malawi’s tourism market is still not defined in an appropri-
ate manner allowing long-term realistic decision making
In case of the international and regional market the most im-
portant source countries have to be identified
Moreover, promising target groups have to be determined
for all important source countries as well as for the domestic
market – incl. special interest groups and niche markets
(e.g. bird watchers)
Ensuring the availability of reliable up to date data of the
international, regional and domestic tourism market/demand
in the near future is of great importance to facilitate demand-
driven marketing activities and effective success/impact moni-
toring
Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis
STRATEGIC GOAL
Goal 1: Source Markets and Market Segmentation
Identify, determine and prioritize promising source countries and appropriate market segments to pursue a customized and tailor-made marketing approach.
Source Markets and Market Segmentation
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Relevant tourism markets for Malawi are the international market (countries outside Africa), the regional
market (countries within Africa) and the domestic market. The determination and prioritization of the main
international and regional source countries for future tourism development have been derived from:
Key source countries for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals)
Key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of international arri-
vals)
Malawi’s top 5 source countries (according to local public and private tourism stakeholders´ estimation)
Major global and European outbound markets (according to market share)
Latest market research results on the European outbound tourism market
Countries with significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats
Countries with direct flight connections to Malawi
Based on these findings the following key international source countries for Malawi have been identified, divided
into 1st priority markets, 2nd second priority markets as well as future markets (for observation):
Key International Tourism Source Countries for Malawi
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Hereafter for each identified country some facts and arguments are given that underline and justify the selec-
tion that has been made above.
1st priority markets at international level
3rd most important global and major European outbound market (2015)
Largest European outbound adventure tourism market (especially diving tourism)
One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially hiking and cy-
cling tourism, expecting good sustainability performance)
One of the top five European source markets for cruise tourism (potential for Lake Malawi)
Water and bathing is of major importance for Germans and often forms the basis of a holiday experi-
ence
High interest in unique and authentic experiences and interaction with local communities
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
11th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism
stakeholders´ estimation)
Germany
4th most important European outbound market (2015)
One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially hiking tourism
and bird watching, expecting good sustainability performance)
High interest in unique and authentic experiences and interaction with local communities, often in
emerging countries
Well-established market for cultural tourism
9th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Netherlands
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2nd most important global outbound market (2015)
Strong outbound market for nature and eco-tourism (especially bird watching)
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
7th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism
stakeholders´ estimation)
Native English speakers
USA
4th most important global and 2nd most important European outbound market (2015)
Biggest bird watcher community in Europe
One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially cycling tour-
ism and wildlife observation, expecting good sustainability performance) and adventurous holidays
(especially diving tourism)
One of the top five European source markets for cruise tourism (potential for Lake Malawi)
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
6th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism
stakeholders´ estimation)
Significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats
Native English speakers
UK
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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2nd priority markets at international level
9th most important global outbound market (2015)
Australians have a great propensity to travel with high addiction to (nature-based) sport activities
Mature and high income market
Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism
stakeholders´ estimation)
Native English speakers
Australia
8th most important European outbound market (2015)
Belgians are considered as the most explorative traveler nation in Europe, as 31% enjoy visiting new
countries and experiencing different cultures whilst on holiday
Hiking tourism is a very popular form of engaging with nature
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
Belgium
China is the major global outbound market (2015)
It represents by far the fastest growing global source market in recent years and has become the
world’s top spender in international tourism since 2012
In comparison to mature tourism markets in Europe and elsewhere, the Chinese tourism market dif-
fers extremely in terms of travel expectations and behaviour requiring tailor-made products and com-
fortable services (Mandarin speaking guides, Chinese food, good shopping facilities, easily accessi-
ble and high-class sightseeing spots, gambling etc.)
Given the deepening economic relations between Africa and China and the growing interest of Chi-
nese leisure travelers in “exotic” destinations, the number of Chinese visitors to Africa is bound to
grow further
China
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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6th most important global and 3rd most important European outbound market (2015)
One of the top five European source markets for cruise tourism (potential for Lake Malawi)
One of the biggest European outbound markets for adventure tourism (especially trekking/hiking tour-
ism, road biking tourism and diving tourism)
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
France
8th most important global and 7th most important European outbound market (2015)
One of the top five European source markets for cruise tourism (potential for Lake Malawi)
High interest in local gastronomy, cultural heritage tourism and interacting with the local population
One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of
international arrivals in recent years)
Italy
5th most important European outbound market (2015)
Poland is by far the largest Eastern European source market for trips to less developed countries
Mainstream holidays, sun and beach holidays and round trips offer the best product potential
As the tourism market matures, special interest segments such as adventure tourism are expected to
increase
Poland
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Future markets (for observation) at international level
Using the same approach as for the international countries, the following key regional source countries for
Malawi have been identified, divided into 1st priority markets and 2nd priority markets.
Even though there was a decline of Russian outbound tourism in recent times, Russia is still the 5th
most important global outbound market (2015)
Economic growth and the expansion of the Russian middle class is one major driver for a strong out-
bound tourism
Still the Russian tourism market differs from mature tourism markets in Europe and elsewhere
The majority of Russian tourists prefer sun & beach destinations. However, there is an increasing
number choosing countries where they can supplement sun & beach with other activities, such as
cultural and sporting events, shopping and relaxation
Russia
Key Regional Tourism Source Countries for Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Hereafter for each identified country some facts and arguments are given that underline and justify the selec-
tion that has been made above.
1st priority markets at regional level
1st most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Neighbouring country
Mozambique
2nd most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism
stakeholders´ estimation)
Direct flight connection to Malawi
Significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats
South Africa
3rd most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Neighbouring country
Significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats
Direct flight connection to Malawi
Zambia
5th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Neighbouring country
Tanzania
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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2nd priority markets at regional level
4th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats
Direct flight connection to Malawi
Zimbabwe
8th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)
Direct flight connection to Malawi
Kenya
Direct flight connection to Malawi
Ethiopia
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Besides the identification and determination of key tourism markets for Malawi also market segmentation is
another important step to achieve a successful marketing approach. Market segmentation is understood as the
process of defining and subdividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar
needs, wants, or demand characteristics. Its objective is to design a marketing mix that precisely matches the
expectations of customers in the targeted segment.
The main benefits of market segmentation are the following:
Better matching of customer needs – Customer needs differ. Creating separate offers for each segment
provides customers with a better solution.
Enhanced profits for business – Customers have different disposable income. They are, therefore, dif-
ferent in how sensitive they are to price. By segmenting markets, businesses can raise average prices and
subsequently enhance profits.
Retain more customers – As customer circumstances change, for example they grow older, form families,
change jobs or get promoted, their buying patterns change. By marketing products that appeal to customers
at different stages of their life (“life-cycle”), a business can retain customers who might otherwise switch to
competing products and brands.
Target marketing communications – Businesses need to deliver their marketing message to a relevant
customer audience. If the target market is too broad, there is a strong risk that the key customers are
missed and the cost of communicating to customers becomes too high / unprofitable.
The derivation of tourism market segments for Malawi is based on a synchronized examination of the fol-
lowing issues:
Global tourism mega trends and lifestyle research data
Tourism market and lifestyle research data of the selected source markets
Results of the tourism situation analysis
Malawi’s tourism product portfolio
Malawi’s tourism demand
For a proper clustering of Malawi’s tourism market segments a range of variables have been applied:
Geographic variables Focus source countries
Socio-demographic variables Age group, income, level of education
Psychographic variables Mindset, values, needs
Travel behavior variables Purpose of travel, type of travel, travel booking, travel duration, travel
companions, quality and accommodation demands, type of accommo-
dation
Product-related variables Preferred product lines, typical activities
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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As a result of this approach, the following tourism market segments have been identified for Malawi:
Malawi’s Tourism Market Segments at a Glance
Mainstream and Convenience-Pursuing Explorers
Authentic Nature and Culture Lovers
Active and Thrill-Oriented Adventurers
Freethinking and Sophisticated Individualists
Curious and Price-Sensitive Digital Natives
Special Interest and Sensation Seekers
Short and Intensive Holiday Makers
Public and Private
Event Organizers
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Entertainment and consumption-oriented mindset and travel behavior
Experienced (international) travelers
Without specific interest in destination´s environment
Place high significance on contrasting experiences (i.e. different from their day-to-day lifes)
Place high importance on value and hence critically balance benefits with costs
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Cross-border trips
Multi-destination trips
Accommodation demands
Middle to upper class
Travel booking
Individual, customized trips
Package trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK
Regional market High
Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
Domestic Market High Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Alternative and sustainable-oriented mindset and travel behavior
Seek pure and close nature and culture experiences
Involve themselves in holiday activities
Are very sociable and want to absorb the day-to-day culture
Attach high importance on local and organic food, environmental protection and
social equity and fairness
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Cross-border trips
Accommodation demands
Lower to middle class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Package trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA
Regional market High South Africa
Domestic Market High Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Sportive and health-oriented mindset and travel behavior
Specialized on niche sports
Expect a variety of exciting/unique outdoor experiences on any single trip
Place high importance on quality of local outdoor conditions, infrastructure and equipment
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Accommodation demands
Lower to middle class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market Middle Germany, UK
Regional market Middle South Africa
Domestic Market Middle Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Unconventional and materialistic-oriented mindset and travel behavior
Image-conscious and opinion leaders within their peer and social groups
Travelling and holidaying is a very important aspect of their daily life
Price is not a major criterion
They expect high end performance and quality
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Accommodation demands
Upper class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market Middle Germany, UK, USA
Regional market High South Africa
Domestic Market None ---
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Modern and technical-oriented mindset and travel behaviour
Are flexible, online affine and liberal with a broad interest in world affairs
Look for diversion and relations to like-minded people
Like to combine holidays with volunteer jobs
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Cross-border trips
Accommodation demands
Lower class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market Middle Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA
Regional market Middle South Africa, Tanzania Zambia, Mozambique
Domestic Market Middle Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Self-centered and ascetic-oriented mindset and travel behavior
Are very active and focused in their pursuits
Expect to come away having learnt and experienced something new and substantial
Look for personal, tailor-made products and exchange on similar terms
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Accommodation demands
Lower to middle class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA
Regional market Middle South Africa
Domestic Market None ---
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Mindset, values and needs
Time sensitive and target-oriented mindset and travel behaviour
Prefer short drives, easily accessible locations and good transport options
Expect attractive leisure offers according to their needs and interests
Look for a convincing price-performance-ratio
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Accommodation demands
Middle to upper class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Package trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market None ---
Regional market High Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
Domestic Market High Malawi
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Mindset, values and needs
Business-oriented mindset or sociable and festive-oriented attitude
Look for locations with an appropriate atmosphere
Demand customized solutions for the respective type of event
Expect high service quality and a professional performance
Type of travel
Staying in one destination
Accommodation demands
Middle to upper class
Travel booking
Self-organized trips
Individual, customized trips
Package trips
Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries
International market None ---
Regional market High Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe
Domestic Market High Malawi
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Malawi‘s entire tourism product lacks of consistence and
clearness in terms of well-defined product lines to market
it convincingly
Product development requires a stronger focus on cross-
border packages and multi-destination offers combined
with tailor-made, personalized product solutions (dynamic
packaging) aiming at creating unique and lifetime experiences
for tourists
The strategic goal of determining product lines is to structure and bundle existing tourism products and
activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and
convincingly to the target audience.
The product lines for the destination Malawi have been derived from:
The identification of Malawi´s principal tourism themes (see below);
product impressions of the field mission;
statements of interviewed stakeholders;
results of the desk research;
analysis of Malawi’s tourism product portfolio;
considering Malawi’s main source countries and market segments.
Product Lines
Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis
STRATEGIC GOAL
Goal 2: Product Lines
Structure and bundle existing tourism products and activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and convincingly to the target audience.
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Based on Malawi´s principal tourism themes the following product lines have been developed and further
outlined in terms of
title (incl. attractive photos, pictograms and individual colours to facilitate the external communication of
each product line);
marketing message;
activities;
special events;
hotspots and
development needs.
Malawi’s Principal Tourism Themes
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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EXPERIENCE CULTURE & PEOPLE
EXPERIENCE LAKE
EXPERIENCE NATURE
EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE
EXPERIENCE MICE
Malawi’s Tourism Product Lines at a Glance
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Marketing Message
9th largest lake of the world and the 3rd largest in Africa
One of the world’s deepest freshwater bodies
Top location for fresh water diving
Sunbathing and relaxing like at the seaside
Great variety of soft and adventure water activities
Special Events
Lake of Stars Festival
Lake of Malawi Sailing Marathon
Activities
Soft activities
Sunbathing
Snorkeling
Kayaking
Fishing
Cruise (round)trips
Island visiting
… and more
Adventure activities
Diving
Stand up paddling
Water skiing
Wind surfing
Catamaran tours
Yachting
… and more
How to further develop the product line?
Elaborate a tourism development and investment strategy (taking into account climate change and bio-
diversity issues)
Encourage investments in new and innovative accommodation facilities (e.g. houseboats, waterside
lodges) and tourism offers (e.g. waterbikes, walking balls)
Strengthen and expand existing water-related activities and service
es (incl. quality standards)
Establish (upscale) lake cruising as a new and unique tourism product
EXPERIENCE LAKE
Hotspots (Selection)
Product Line “Experience Lake”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs
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Marketing Message
Nine national parks and four wildlife reserves
Mount Mulanje as a biodiversity hotspot offering an ex-
ceptional ecosystem rich in diverse species
Great variety of nature-based soft and adventure activ-
ities
Different climate zones, diverse landscapes and vege-
tation types
Special Events
Mount Mulanje Porters’ Race
Activities
Soft activities
Walking/Hiking
Cycling
Horse riding
Golfing
Driving scenic routes
by car
Adventure activities
Trekking
Mountain biking
Climbing/Abseiling
Bouldering
Parachuting
Paragliding
How to further develop the product line?
Improve road access to remote/protected areas and establish a touristic road signage system
Provide appropriate infrastructure and signage conditions for nature-based tourism activities to meet
international standards (e.g. hiking trails, climbing routes)
Strengthen and expand the development of nature-based tourism products
Provide professional outdoor equipment services (e.g. rental of bikes, mountainbikes, Nordic walking
sticks, climbing gear)
Product Line “Experience Nature”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs
EXPERIENCE NATURE
Nyika National Park
Mulanje Mountains
Zomba Plateau
Hotspots (Selection)
REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)
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Marketing Message
Offers world’s greatest diversity of freshwater fish with
over 1.000 species
Home to the Big Five
Around 650 bird species of which several are endan-
gered or can be only found in the region
Activities
Game viewing
Game driving
Walking safaris
Boat safaris
Bird watching
Fish watching
How to further develop the product line?
Improve road access to remote/protected areas and establish a touristic road signage system
Provide scientific and popular wildlife information (e.g. books about the birds or fishes of Malawi,
wildlife illustrated books, wildlife information boards in protected areas, educational trails)
Develop tourism products for special interest groups (e.g. bird watchers, fish lovers, volunteer
tourists)
Establish wildlife visitor centers in Majete Wildlife Reserve or Liwonde National Park and in Lake Ma-
lawi National Park
Product Line “Experience Wildlife”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs
EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE
Hotspots (Selection)
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Marketing Message
World Heritage Site featuring the richest concentration
of rock art in Central Africa (Chongoni Rock Art)
Nkhotokota – town was a prosperous slave depot for
Arab slave traders in the 19th century
Memorial sights to remember the Scottish missionary
and explorer David Livingstone
Famous for its tea, coffee and sugar plantations
Great diversity of local arts and handicrafts
Special Events
Blantyre Arts Festival
Activities
Attending ceremonies and rituals
Art and handicraft market visits
Visiting museums, cultural monuments, missions and
churches, traditional villages, tea plantations, coffee
farms and sugar estates
Pottery making
Tasting local products and cuisine…and more
How to further develop the product line?
Encourage the offer of creative and traditional Malawian dishes (e.g. the chambo)
Expand the availability of local products (e.g. tea, coffee, wine, gin) for tasting and selling (e.g. in ac-
commodation facilities)
Develop homestay products and community-based tourism projects
Foster the integration of cultural goods and services into existing products/package tours to support
(small) cultural projects and businessmen (e.g. visits and guided tours to handicraft suppliers or tradi-
tional villages)
Product Line “Experience Culture & People”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs
EXPERIENCE CULTURE & PEOPLE
Hotspots (Selection)
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Marketing Message
Wide range of accommodations around the country offer-
ing excellent infrastructure for any kind of events
Activities
Hold meetings and workshops
Organize congresses and conferences
Host exhibitions and fairs
Celebrating birthdays, weddings and other family events
How to further develop the product line?
Inventory and categorize existing MICE facilities for market-oriented promotion activities
Establish quality standard for MICE facilities
Develop supplemental tourism products for businessmen (half-day, one-day or weekend tours)
Product Line “Experience MICE”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs
EXPERIENCE MICE
Hotspots (Selection)
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Considering the identified source markets as well as the determined market segments and product lines the
following graphics present the linkages and relations between these three important marketing compo-
nents which should support demand-oriented product development and strategic-oriented decision making in
terms of planning and implementing effective marketing activities.
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Malawi is surrounded by strong competitors with a clearly
defined USP, which is currently lacking for Malawi
Therefore it is crucial that the marketing strategy framework
looks for distinctive features and characteristics to re-
gional competitors outlining convincing reasons why people
should visit Malawi
The existing destination brand needs to be seriously re-
flected for taking a decision how to proceed with it:
▪ Further use of the existing tourism brand or
▪ new tourism brand
Tourism destination branding is of key importance in the development of a holistic destination marketing frame-
work. In this context, it is crucial to point out that a brand is not just a product, a logo, a slogan, imagery, design
style or a marketing campaign. A brand encompasses all these aspects and connects them. A brand is a com-
petitive identity. It makes a destination distinctive and differentiates it from all others. It refers to the essence or
core characteristics of a destination, which comprise its personality.
The UNWTO brand pyramid approach (see graphic below) is a tool which helps destination decision makers
to assess the main strengths of their destination and to derive its brand essence, the DNA of the destination,
which forms the core of the branding strategy and should run through every act of marketing communication
and behaviour by the Department of Tourism and the destination’s tourism stakeholders. Various forms of the
brand pyramid exist, for Malawi it was decided to work with the Five-Stage Brand Pyramid, as it is the simplest
and most concise.
Destination Branding
Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis
STRATEGIC GOAL
Goal 3: Destination Branding
Underpin and substantiate the destination brand image of Malawi to extract its competitive advantages as well as to communicate a coherent image and brand message.
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As the graphic below shows, the pyramid is built on the rational attributes of the destination, which can be
derived from a SWOT analysis and consumer research. The latter also gives important information for the emo-
tional benefits that a visitor can take as an “emotional take-out” from the destination. The third stage, the brand
personality is based on a competitor analysis and summarizes the main character traits of the destination. The
positioning statement pinpoints what makes the destination stand out from everywhere else. Finally, and most
importantly the four stages lead to the fifth aspect, the brand essence, which describes the essential nature
and character of the destination, is to say the essence which will be used for all branding exercises.
By taking advantage of the UNWTO brand pyramid approach the rational attributes, emotional benefits as well
as the brand personality have been identified resulting into a positioning statement for Malawi´s tourism
brand.
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Malawi’s Tourism Brand Pyramid
Land of short distances; English spoken country; pleasant
and diverse climate conditions
Safe African tourism experience (long-term peaceful environ-
ment, stable political conditions, no religious conflicts, low
crime rate)
Lake Malawi (9th largest lake in the world, 3rd biggest in Af-
rica, unique lake based water sports, sun & beach opportuni-
ties)
Wildlife experience (Big Five, outstanding endemic fish biodi-
versity, bird watching) and nature based and adventurous
activities in varied landscapes
Authentic hospitality (renowned friendliness, kindness) and
rich cultural living experiences (villages, arts and crafts,
events)
Tea and coffee plantations (2nd largest tea producer in
Africa)
Rational Attributes
Sense of feeling welcomed
Forming an instant connection with the local community
Culturally enriched
Special/unique lake experience
Excited by the outstanding variety of nature based
opportunities
Emotional Benefits
A safe, innately welcoming, off the beaten track destination
with a diverse natural and cultural experience factor within
short distances
Brand Personality
A country of small distances, bringing together diverse land-
scapes, home to the Big Five and one of the major lake at-
tractions in the world, peaceful by nature and renowned for
its extraordinary hospitality and kind-hearted people
Positioning Statement
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As a final step of this UNWTO brand pyramid approach the brand essence has been derived which is focused
on three main key messages/essences that should form the core of the national tourism brand of Malawi.
Moreover, it was assessed whether to keep the existing “Malawi, the warm heart of Africa” brand. Several
reasons were found to continue working with the brand.
Firstly the destination brand has been used for more than 40 years and has built up an accumulated brand
recognition throughout the years. Changing Malawi´s brand would be a radical change, which risks losing this
brand equity. And rebranding is an expensive process. Additionally, the
brand pyramid assessment found that the slogan „warm heart of Africa“ is
fitting, as it still captures the main essence of the tourism product.
Therefore, it can be summarized that it is suitable for the international,
regional and domestic market: For Malawians a sense of pride & belong-
ing, for regional tourists a reputation and for international tourists a promise
of hospitality that awaits after a long journey.
Despite the recommendation to keep the current brand, a number of obsta-
cles need to be overcome. The brand pyramid assessment showed that the
current brand is undefined in some aspects and lacks substance with
regard to Malawi´s main touristic attributes. It is not clearly communicated to all stakeholders and fails to be
consistently circulated. Also there is a lack between the destination’s brand values and the marketing cam-
paigns. Moreover, the design and colour scheme of the logo are outdated, compared to international standards
and competitors branding. The existing brand needs to be refreshed and filled with substance so that it remains
credible and up to date.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended to create a new logo or update the existing one.
Malawi’s Brand Essence for Tourism Marketing
RICH in Contrast - Diverse lake experience, variety of landscapes, habitats, climates and cultural assets
SMALL in Size - Little surface, short distances, comparatively little crowded
BIG in Hospitality - Peaceful environment, neighbourly social inter-action, tolerant and authentic relationship with visitors and other cultures
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To foster the external brand communication an elevator pitch was used, meaning a short sales pitch that is a
summary taken to quickly and simply define the brand message of a tourism destination (in this case of Malawi).
The name 'elevator pitch' reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of
an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds.
The summary of Malawi´s brand message for the three tourism markets (international, regional and domestic)
has been defined as follows:
This elevator pitch is intended to be communicated to all relevant destination stakeholders and regularly re-
peated as it is a useful way to remind oneself of the main message that should be conveyed to each market
and to develop adequate marketing actions based on these messages.
A more detailed, effective and popular way to communicate the brand essence and core values to the markets
is by breaking it down into “Reasons why I should visit a Destination”. These reasons can easily be used
and shared through online marketing and other marketing measures or promotion activities.
The following 10 reasons have been identified for Malawi:
Malawi’s Brand Message for Tourism Markets - Elevator Pitch
International Market “Malawi is a diverse country of short distances, which unites
contrasted landscapes and is home to the Big Five and Lake
Malawi, the 9th biggest fresh water lake in the world, a natural
aquarium with the highest endemic fish biodiversity worldwide.
Malawians are peaceful by nature and renowned for their kind-
heartedness.”
Domestic Market “Malawi is my home and pride, the place where our nation´s
natural and cultural highlights come together which I treasure
and actively enjoy whenever possible.”
Regional Market “Malawi is the neighbour of small distances, a safe haven to
relax, connect with contrasted nature and enjoy true hospitality.”
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10 Reasons Why I Should Visit Malawi
PEACEFUL, ACCESSIBLE AND SCENERY COUNTRY Go on an authentic African trip in a peaceful and safe environment
and discover the land of small distances that allows maximum
experience in short time
PLEASANT CLIMATE Encounter contrasted climate zones
MALAWIAN PEOPLE – KIND-HEARTEDNESS BY NATURE Experience hospitality in its purest form and feel the warm heart of Africa
LAKE MALAWI Find serenity at one of the major lake attractions in Africa, admire the highest
biodiversity of fresh water fish in the world and visit Lake Malawi National Park –
an UNESCO-World Heritage Site and first freshwater National Park worldwide – or
Chizumulu and Likoma Island
NEWEST BIG FIVE DESTINATION Visit Malawi’s protected areas (9 national parks and 4 wildlife reserves) and be eye to
eye with the Big Five far away from large tourist crowds
AUTHENTIC NATURE EXPERIENCE Discover the highest peak in Central Africa (Sapitwa, 3.002 m above sea level), enjoy
the variety of landscapes, habitats and the rich biodiversity (e.g. 650 species of birds)
ATTRACTIVE OUTDOOR SPORT CONDITIONS Be active and engage in water based (e.g. snorkeling, diving, kayaking), nature based
(e.g. bird watching, hiking, cycling, horse riding) or adventure oriented (e.g. climbing,
trekking, mountain biking) outdoor sport opportunities
RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE Visit the Livingstone Trail or the UNESCO World Heritage Mt. Chungoni Rock Arts and
get inspired by traditional villages, arts, crafts and dances and 12 different tribes
LOCAL DELICACIES Enjoy fresh fish of Lake Malawi (e.g. the chambo) or a cup of original Malawian coffee
or tea, the country is 2nd largest tea producer in Africa
POPULAR EVENTS Participate in local events like the famous Lake of Stars Festival, the Likoma Festival
(Likoma and Chisumulu islands) or the Lake Malawi International Sailing Marathon
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There are a huge number of marketing ideas and ongoing
marketing efforts which still require a stronger strategic fo-
cus by linking them with determined product lines and
defined source markets/target groups for maximizing out-
puts and visible impacts
Identified needs for action to improve Malawi’s tourism mar-
keting performance
▪ Increasing the output of international fair participation
▪ Ensuring a consistent web presence
▪ Using and taking advantage of social media
▪ Providing prospects and brochures created and designed
in a state-of-the-art manner
▪ Consolidating and extending public relations activities
▪ Improving tourist information office services and equip-
ment
Strategic Marketing Action Plan
STRATEGIC GOAL
Goal 4: Strategic Marketing Action Plan
Develop the baseline for innovative and future-oriented marketing measures which are strategically linked with promising source countries and appropriate market segments.
Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis
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The Strategic Marketing Action Plan aims at initiating and facilitating the implementation of Malawi’s Tourism
Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021) and is focused on the following main activity areas:
The proposed actions to be undertaken for implementing the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework
have been divided into short-term actions (= by the end of 2017) and mid-term actions (= by the end of 2019)
including the definition of priorities, responsibilities and market relevance (see next pages).
However, the proposed actions as a whole are ambitious and serve mainly as com-
pass for future decision making. Therefore, it is recommended and necessary that
the Department of Tourism and other relevant tourism stakeholders set own priori-
ties according to available resources and decisions taken.
Activity Areas of the Strategic Marketing Action Plan
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Activity Area: Strategy/Financing
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Official approval of Malawi’s Tourism Marketing Strategy
▪ Vision and strategic goals
▪ Key (international and regional) source markets
▪ Market segments
▪ Product lines
▪ Matching between market segments, product lines and source markets
▪ Destination branding
▪ Strategic Marketing action plan
Department of Tourism, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism
High Identification of funding/revenue sources and develop-ment of a realistic financing strategy (mix of different funding/revenues sources) to stabilise/increase the tour-ism marketing budget
▪ Levy collection mechanism lacks effectiveness resulting in reasonable loss of levy revenues, therefore short-term effective measures have to be undertaken to ensure the full delivery of the mandatory levy
▪ Increase of levy and/or diversification of fees
▪ Proportional use of visa fees for tourism development and marketing purposes
▪ Establishing public private partnerships for joint market-ing activities
▪ Strategic/project-based alliances with donor organisa-tions to strengthen tourism marketing efforts
▪ Submission of proposals to get financial support from in-ternational funds and programmes (e.g. EU)
Department of Tourism
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Activity Area: Tourism Research and Statistics
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Ensuring in the near future the availability of reliable up to date data of the international, regional and domestic tour-ism market/demand to facilitate demand-driven marketing activities and effective success/impact monitoring
▪ Basic tourism statistical data system (international arri-vals, occupancy rate etc.)
▪ International Visitor Survey (already prepared by GIZ-MIERA!)
▪ Domestic Visitor Survey
▪ Accommodation Survey (already prepared by GIZ-MIERA!)
▪ Tourism economic impact analysis (based on Tourism Satellite Account)
▪ Regional Tourism Competitor Analysis
Department of Tourism
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Activity Area: Destination Branding
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Further development of the existing brand towards a sub-stantial destination brand with a convincing brand message
▪ Approval of the proposed tourism brand essence of Ma-lawi
▪ Approval to keep the established brand „Malawi, the warm heart of Africa“
▪ Approval of the proposed brand message for the three markets (elevator pitch)
▪ Approval of the proposed reasons “Why I should visit Ma-lawi?”
▪ Creation of a new logo or update existing one
▪ Development of a Cooperate Design (CD) for print and online promotion
▪ Process-oriented incorporation of the brand message into print and online promotion (e.g. via sub-slogans)
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council
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Activity Area: Tourism Fairs
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Focus and determination of a carefully selected number of geographically and thematically relevant international and regional consumer, trade and special interest fairs, ensuring an adequate return on investment in terms of mar-keting and networking
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Recommended fairs for the international market
Priority trade fairs: ITB (Germany), WTM (UK)
Priority consumer fairs: CMT (Germany)
Priority special interest fairs: Birdfair (UK)
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Recommended fairs for the regional market
Priority trade fairs: WTM (South Africa); Indaba (South Africa)
Priority special interest fairs: IBTM Africa (South Africa)
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
General considerations Start at least 6 months before the respective fair takes place with preparation and develop every year an individual concept for each fair attendance (thematic focus, special activities etc.)
Make sure that the booth has an innovative design and attracts consumers/trade visitors through multimedia (e.g. videos) and interactive (e.g. touchscreens) applications
Reach out and communicate with the private sector for cooperation possibilities (shared stand, partnering up for events, speakers at press conference, etc.)
Ensure comprehensive briefing of attending Malawi public and private representatives
Specific considerations Trade Fairs
Distribution of up-to-date press kit (press releases, brochures, etc.); Malawi press conference or networking event for press and tour operators at the booth; Participation in fair convention programme (e.g. ITB Africa Forum) and Blogger Speed Dating Events; Organizing special events for tour operators and press (e.g. gala dinner in a restaurant)
Consumer Fairs
Distribution of relevant consumer information material (brochures, maps, etc.) and giveaways; Malawi’s booth presentation should be focused on specific topics/product lines; Gastronomic and cultural presentations at the booth (local food tastings, drinks and music); Raffle/quiz about particular touristic highlights in Malawi
Special interest fairs
Strong partnerships with private sector to ensure a product centered participation; Targeted activities, directly related to the special interest audience, providing all necessary information material and business contacts
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Activity Area: Public Relations
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Cooperation with international PR agencies as PR repre-sentatives in the UK, Germany and the USA, due to the size, maturity and importance of these markets
Department of Tourism
High Organize regular press trips, according to specific themes (e.g. adventure, culture, wildlife, etc.): 8-10 participants, ap-prox. 1 week
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
High Host annual press conference at key industry events, e.g. ITB Berlin or INDABA
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Medium Placement of editorial content in leading travel media through strong relationships with key media of relevance for the identified target markets/ segments ranging from large inter-national media players to smaller, specialized media
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council
Medium Reach out to special interest media (through PR represent-atives) to offer targeted press events and trips to reach cover-age addressing promising niche markets (e.g. birdwatching, fish hobbyists, etc.)
Department of Tourism
Medium Set up blogger cooperation with major influencers, in the backpacker, volunteering and young traveler scene
Department of Tourism
General considerations Assign a PR responsible within the Department of Tourism
Assure regular and well timed organization of press events and press trips, which are communicated well in advance
Elaborate a media fact sheet about tourism in Malawi, which is made available online
Issue regular newsletters, press releases and press clippings about key touristic news from Malawi
Build and sustain a detailed media database, categorizing all relevant national, regional and international media contacts (freelance journalists, newspapers, magazines, etc.)
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Activity Area: Online Marketing & Social Media
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Actively and regularly engage with identified key market seg-ments online and promote Malawi´s product lines via so-cial media channels to ensure the circulation of up-to-date news and messages
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Medium Organize Blogger seminars/ coaching sessions for Ma-lawi tourism professionals (bloggers teach social media techniques in exchange for a monetary or in-kind contribution such as hotel stay, excursion, local contacts etc.) – synergies with PR work (blogger trips)
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Medium Individual social media fan pages and content in languages of main priority markets (German, French, English)
Department of Tourism
Medium #mymalawi campaign: to share Malawians´ pride for their country and their favourite places. For Malawians to take their friends and family to these places and share photos via social media using the hashtag #mymalawi. Cooperating with Mala-wian influencers, e.g. young entrepreneurs, musicians or ath-letes
Department of Tourism
General considerations Assign social media manager at the Department of Tourism and ensure consistency, regular postings and interactions with community
Focus on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Introduction and spreading of relevant, creative hashtags, e.g. #mymalawi
Emotional you-appeal – readers should feel directly addressed and engaged in storytelling
Introduce campaigns for different segments: posting of favourite photos, competitions, etc.
Facebook like campaign (in combination with organic community building) to increase the number of Facebook followers
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Activity Area: Website
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Determination of one central website for presenting Ma-lawi´s entire tourism offer, professional relaunch incl. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and continuous mainte-nance
Department of Tourism
General considerations Focusing on one central website that meets the following minimum requirements:
User-friendly navigation incl. contact and response possibilities for users
Usable on different devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.)
No exhaustive but targeted content in different languages
Innovative and modern design with an emotional visual concept (incl. high quality photos)
Clear brand message (e.g. 10 reasons why I should visit Malawi)
Attractive and well-structured presentation of Malawi’s tourism offer (according to product lines and geographical areas)
Thematic blogs linked with Malawi’s social media channels
Special information section for tour operators and media
Activity Area: Print & Multimedia
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Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Development of a coherent image brochure for the re-gional/international audience with convincing photos in high resolution, with strong Malawi recognition factor, giving a visual overview of the main touristic highlights and all rele-vant product lines
Department of Tourism
High Development of a special image brochure for the domes-tic market with convincing photos in high resolution high-lighting the relevant product lines for domestic market seg-ments
Department of Tourism
Medium Development of a MICE brochure indicating MICE opportu-nities and locations in Malawi
Department of Tourism
Medium Development of a foldable touristic map indicating main touristic attractions of the country and touristic infrastructure (e.g. hotels, visitor information centers, etc.)
Department of Tourism
Medium Development of an image video for presenting the different product lines
Department of Tourism
General considerations Introduce a holistic series of emotional image brochures as well as a map with the same corporate design, working strongly with storytelling aspects, e.g. by including citations of travelers, locals or
hotel owners
Provide print & multimedia material in English and German (for ITB), Dutch tend to have a high language affinity and don´t mind info material in English
Cooperate with renowned travel photographer for the brochure photos – the better and more professional the photos, the higher the impact. Assure the transmission of rights for the photos and use them consistently for marketing purposes
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Activity Area: Trade (B2B)
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Fam trips for international, regional and domestic tour oper-ators and travel agents, involving: Inspection of sites, inter-action with locals, provision of feedback on the touristic of-fer, organization of mini workshops
Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector
Medium Roadshows in the international first priority markets through participation in the annual events of important tour operators or travel agency cooperations, or participation in roadshows organized by qualified tour operators
Department of Tourism
Medium MICE campaign: send an assigned MICE responsible on a face-to-face (and in some cases virtual) sales mission to promote Malawi as a MICE destination in the regional and domestic market. This can be mainly achieved by strategic meetings with event organizers of private and public organi-zations
Department of Tourism
General considerations Regular organization and hosting of fam trips for regional and international tour operators and travel agents providing the necessary networking opportunities for incoming agencies from Malawi,
visiting tour operators as well as other tourism service providers. Sponsoring/co-financing of these trips through private sector
Build up and maintain a categorized database of national, regional and international trade partners of relevance
B2B newsletters to database contacts, with targeted and relevant contacts (e.g. touristic news, contacts to incoming agencies, special trade events)
Link with tradeshow participation in the regional market: organize matchmaking session with Malawian partners and interested regional trade representatives
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Activity Area: Advertisement
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
Medium Identify special interest magazines of relevance for Ma-lawi (e.g. UK Birdwatching magazines) and negotiate ad-vertisements or advertorials fitting to the overall edition´s theme (e.g. if Birdwatching magazine has a feature about African birds, combine with ad)
Department of Tourism, Private Sector
Medium Take advantage of local newspapers and magazines for tourism advertisement
Department of Tourism, Private Sector
General considerations Strong synergies with PR work and expertise of the PR representatives to negotiate adequate prices for cooperation and to find the relevant type of cooperation
Combination with press trips
Partner up with private sector to share costs of advertisements and advertorials
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Activity Area: Festival/Events
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Provide special festival/event packages (e.g. basic ac-commodation plus festival entrance, or deluxe package with luxury accommodation and exclusive back-stage)
Private Sector
High Provide combination packages (e.g. festival/event and wildlife, or Festival/event and water experience at Lake Ma-lawi incl. accommodation)
Private Sector
High Include traditional local festivals/events in existing tour
packages (in cooperation with domestic, regional and inter-national tour operators)
Private Sector
High Encourage foreign PR representatives to promote festi-
val/events of international importance Department of Tourism
High Invite selected regional journalists and bloggers to re-port from festivals/ events of international or regional im-portance
Department of Tourism
General considerations Determine the most relevant festivals/events for promotion work and highlight the Lake of Stars Festival as Malawi’s most renowned yearly event of international importance
Establish long-term media cooperations and strategic partnerships at domestic, regional and international level to raise awareness of festivals/events and to foster their media presence
Strengthen the involvement of the private sector for linking tour packages with festivals/events, supporting promotion and sharing information and costs
Conduct surveys with festival/event visitors to get information about their perceptions, interests, needs, etc.
Look for popular Malawian celebrities (e.g. musicians) who can support the promotion of festivals/events at domestic, regional and international level
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Activity Area: Visitor Services
Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance
International Regional Domestic
High Establish a small, selected number of strategically posi-tioned and well equipped tourist information offices
Department of Tourism
Medium Establish a wildlife visitor center to demonstrate the biodi-versity of Lake Malawi (e.g. in the Lake Malawi National Park)
Department of Tourism and other relevant ministries
Medium Development of a touristic app “My Malawi” Department of Tourism
General considerations Limit the tourist information offices to fewer locations, focused on large cities (Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu), plus one strategically positioned tourist information office at lake Malawi
Additionally, info counters at the airport and main borders
Instead of tourist information offices use the term “tourist visitor centers”
Signage: clearly indicate the locations of the tourist information centers and other touristic offers
Ensure that staff of tourist information offices have the right attitudes and good communication skills (regular staff training is needed)
Synergies with print & multimedia to ensure rightful distribution of info material
Close communication with other tourism stakeholders such as protected areas or service providers to share information material and knowledge
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