Bazaruto has the potential to be an exceptional marine and coastal tourism destination in East Africa, benefiting its communities through economic and employment opportunities. African Parks is working to increase community employment through tourism concessions, training local tour guides and hospitality training. This will help create a conservation-led economy and will increase the value and buy-in from local communities of maintaining Bazaruto as a protected area long into the future.
The Sustainable Tourism Model has been completed, an important element of which is attracting local visitors to the park – this includes affordable accommodation, tourism information points and other activities. Nine tourism concessions have signed contracts with ANAC, bringing them under formal regulation. Concessionaires are required to adhere to their environmental licences, particularly regarding waste removal and construction of unauthorised installations. In 2022, there was a 63% increase on the previous year in tourism numbers.
In 2021, Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards ranked Bazaruto as the best island destination in Africa.
