Rédaction Africa Links 24 with lexpress
Published on 2024-03-13 02:45:00
The first ordinary general meeting of the Boeny Regional Tourism Office (ORTB) this year was an opportunity to present various reports.
It was also the first general assembly after the re-election in December, for a second term, of the ORTB board president, Eric Razafimaitra.
The meeting was mainly marked by the validation of the annual work plan (PTA) for the year 2024. Members, particularly tourism operators, expressed their concerns about the persistent power cuts, concerning road conditions on National Highways 4 and 6, the poor state of the streets in the city of Mahajanga, as well as the insecurity.
“Everyone is suffering from this shortage and the constant power outages that have been ongoing without interruption for several years. Hotels and restaurants constantly use electricity, either for freezing perishable food or for storing supplies. Tourists cannot stand the heat and need an air conditioner or fan in every room. Water no longer flows from the tap throughout the day,” the concerned parties lamented.
Inadequacy
The deplorable and deteriorating road conditions on National Highways 4 and 6 were also discussed. They are the main concerns of tourism operators in the transport sector.
“The condition of National Highway 4 is one of the factors preventing tourists from reaching Mahajanga. The journey between Mahajanga and the capital is getting longer. The RN6 axis is completely destroyed, especially between Ambanja and Manerinerina. Large one-meter holes and mud fill the road. The most robust heavy goods vehicles and semi-trailers are stuck in the mud. The bush taxis are on their knees in the swamp. Several vehicles broke down in February. However, our clients are mostly interested in this northern axis. The circuit is no longer available due to the rainy season,” a transporter commented.
“We took the time to listen and discuss important grievances raised by tourism operators regarding power cuts, concerning conditions of national roads, insecurity, and the state of the streets in the city of Mahajanga. The insufficient frequency of flights to Mahajanga greatly handicaps tourism. Our goal is to increase the number of national and foreign tourists to Mahajanga. Our main objective is focused on promoting Mahajanga as the top national destination,” concluded the president of the ORTB board.
-Vero Andrianarisoa
Read the original article(French) on lexpress.mg
