Turning disaster into opportunity. This was the message that the Agence d'attractivité et de Développement Touristique de Mayotte (AaDTM), accompanied by representatives of the Union of Local Hotels and Tourist Offices at a recent press conference. The conference was held in Paris a few days before Emmanuel Macron's trip to Mayotte and Réunion.
The region's tourism managers have drawn the destruction caused by cyclone Chido. They presented a snapshot of the state of the tourism sector and the first steps being taken to boost activity. With a view to what tourism in Mayotte could look like in a few years' time.
Conditions to be redefined for tourism in Mauritania
According to Michel Madi, Director of AADTM, 68 % of tourist infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. This represents an estimated financial loss of 21 million euros. The recovery is slowly taking hold, but it is hampered by the unwillingness of insurance companies to reimburse. " Insurance companies must do their job" fustigates Charles Henri Mandailaz, Chairman of the Union des métiers et des industries de l'hôtellerie (UMIH).
Aid amounting to €20,000 has already been granted to help hotels and restaurants get back on their feet, but the President of the UMIH considers this to be insufficient. March 1st, 80% of accommodation was available as well as 43% of restaurants according to the AaDTM - but only partially. In addition, the government bodies involved in the reconstruction requisitioned 57% of hotel rooms.
The region has real tourist potential which, before the cyclone, had been little exploited. A question of the island's image. Mayotte has often made the headlines in the French media, but rarely in a positive way. And also because the French state and the local authorities had hardly shown any tourist ambitions.
This is reflected in the figures. According to the Agence d'attractivité, Mayotte welcomed 74,000 tourists in 2024. This compares with 556,000 tourists to Réunion and 1.38 million to Mauritius. Accommodation capacity is 650 rooms on the Mahoran archipelago - compared with more than 3,300 rooms on Reunion Island.
Tourism in Mayotte generated 88 million euros last year, with 5.6% from local companies involved in this sector. There are still other obstacles to greater development of tourism: prices for Air which remain very high, an airport with a limited runway to accommodate high-capacity aircraft...
As well as highly restrictive visa formalities to attract tourists from outside Europe and Mauritius. Mauritius benefits from relaxed entry conditions to the two French territories in the Indian Ocean.
Mayotte, a destination to discover
" And yet, we have everything to seduce visitors. Experts agree that our lagoon, with its double barrier reef, is one of the most beautiful in the world. Although some areas of the lagoon were damaged by the cyclone, its ability to recover is remarkable. As are the landscapes of our island, where nature is already reclaiming its rights." says Charles Henri Mandailaz.
However, the Agence d'Attractivité and its partners remain confident in the future of tourism. It emphasises the extraordinary mobilisation of the tourism industrywho are actively working to revive their business despite the difficulties. " This can be put down to the deep attachment of local players to the area. It is an essential lever for rebuilding" says Michel Madi.
From now on, the cyclone is seen as an opportunity to make Mayotte an international tourist destination. The authorities have defined an action plan based on 30 measures to develop the sector.
The first immediate measures are aimed at stimulating domestic tourism. But also on the resumption of maritime links with the temporary reconstruction of pleasure boating pontoons and a structure to welcome cruise ships. Several hotel development projects will be supported. These include the construction of a 200-room hotel in Mamoudzouthe capital.
Other longer-term measures include :
- Stronger support for investment and sustainable transformation of the sector: aid for modernising structures, facilitating access to land, digitisation and certification for sustainable tourism.
- the creation of four structuring tourist centresA regional tourism campus, a range of services to promote the region's natural and cultural heritage, and the development of eco-tourism around the lagoon.
The overall financing requirement is therefore estimated at almost 160 million euros126 million over the medium to long term.
Emmanuel Macron's visit to Mayotte in April and his promise to speed up the reconstruction of the island are certainly raising new hopes. If all goes according to plan, the first projects could even start as early as next October. With the ambition of finally position Mayotte as a tourist destination in its own right with its exceptional cultural and natural heritage. MICE activities could therefore play an essential role in the rediscovery of this small French territory in the Indian Ocean. As could business traffic in the light of future investments.
