Meeting : François Gély

"The island is a huge playground where you can carry out crazy projects."

Why choose Madagascar?
François Gély - We often come to Madagascar for its exuberant nature and dream beaches, but we sometimes forget that it is the fourth largest island in the world, a quasi-continent that offers an impressive diversity of landscapes - tropical forest, sandy desert, beaches stretching for hundreds of kilometres - and unique features such as the Tsingy and the refuge for endemic animal species such as lemurs... Developing tourism also means helping the Madagascans, such an endearing people, to progress.

How is the destination doing?
F. G. - With fewer than 150,000 tourists a year, or around 15 % of the number visiting Mauritius, which is 300 times smaller, the destination remains a confidential one. It is one of the few destinations with such significant but as yet untapped tourism potential. Growth in arrivals stopped in 2008 and has only picked up again in recent months. The indicators are positive for 2011, with group operations already confirmed and a clear upturn in individual requests.

What about incentives?
F. G. - Madagascar is ideal for this market, both as a reward trip and as an incentive or team-building operation. The island is an immense playground where you can carry out crazy projects: "Kho Lanta" on a deserted beach, a 4X4 raid or a canvas camp in the middle of breathtaking landscapes.