FROM MADAGASCAR’S NATIONAL TOURISM BOARD (ONTM)
- WEEK STARTING JUNE 01 2009 -
General situation
A first wave of tourists (groups or individuals) has started to arrive in Madagascar since the beginning of May. Their stay went on quite normally.
Free visas for stays of less than 30 days
Until December 31, 2009, tourists staying for less than 30 days in Madagascar are exempted from the payment of the rights of visa. This provision is valid for visas taken on arrival at airports in Madagascar.
News of the National parks
Madagascar National Parks has gradually set up the system of single counter in order to facilitate the visit of protected areas. The first counter created in Andasibe will give the tourists the possibility to get informed on the entry conditions and the guidance tariffs, to pay entry and guidance fees and even on the parking fees in camp-sites. This device will be extended to all the other national parks by the end of the year 2009.
Security
Madagascar’s National Tourism Board (ONTM) and the responsible persons in the Ministries in charge of Security have decided to set up procedures of information exchange about tourist’s groups movement aiming at reinforcing tourists’ security on the main roads and sites that present some interest for tourism.
Advice for travellers on the web sites of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs
Following the meetings of the members of the Task Force for the revival of the tourist trade with the Honorary Consul of Spain in Madagascar, the web site of the Spanish Foreign Ministry replaced the notes advising against the Madagascar destination by a call to prudence during travels inside the country.
The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends to avoid passing by demonstration places in some areas of Antananarivo and Antsirabe while noting that the tourist areas outside the capital are safe.
Advice for travellers on the web sites of “Calamiteitenfonds Reizen” in the Netherlands
Calamiteitenfonds, the mutual aid funds for travellers in difficulty in the Netherlands, after having applied a limitation of coverage for travels to Madagascar, cancelled their interdiction of travels to Madagascar on June 3, 2009.
Welcome
On the initiative of the ONTM and in collaboration with airport authorities, some actions aiming at improving the conditions on arrival are currently being undertaken at Ivato International Airport (Antananarivo). These actions relate to travellers’ comfort and security on arrival and also aim at providing them with better information.
News from airline companies
Air Madagascar has set up the promotional tariff IPROMO which is 500 Euros net of tax. Valid for travels from Paris to Antananarivo or Nosy Be and from Marseille to Antananarivo (outward journey and return) until June 30 and from 1st September to December 17, 2009.
Corsairfly has created the season-based tariff NLLITCHI, valid from PARIS to TANA or NOSY BE for sales beginning on May 27, 2009 until June 30, 2009
- Nllitchi Tariff : 513 Euros net of tax.
Valid for travels from Paris between June 01 and June 27, 2009 and from August 15 to 31st Octobe, 2009 and for returns to Paris from June 01 to July 13, 2009 and from September 06 to October 31, 2009
- Nhlitchi Tariff: 793 Euros net of tax.
Valid for travels from Paris, starting from June 28 till August 14, 2009 and for returns to Paris from July 14 to September 05, 2009.
The maximum duration of the stay is 45 (forty-five) days
South African Airlink offers convenient daily direct scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Antananarivo, providing travellers from both South Africa and Madagascar with a wider choice of departure days. Airlink operates this route in code share with Air Madagascar, providing travellers with onward connections to other destinations within Madagascar.
Sporting events
On July 25 and 26, 2009, the third edition of Isalo Raid will be held in the national park of Isalo. It is a sporting excursion of 100 km at a free pace to be covered in 36 hours maximum, associated with a discovery of the park.
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