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REPORT: MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)

REPORT

MALAWI TOURISM MARKETING

STRATEGY FRAMEWORK (2017-2021)


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................. 3

Background and Introduction .................................................................. 4

Overall Vision and Goals.......................................................................... 6

Source Markets and Market Segmentation ............................................. 8

Product Lines .......................................................................................... 27

Destination Branding ............................................................................. 37

Strategic Marketing Action Plan ............................................................ 43

Imprint ..................................................................................................... 57


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Particip GmbH, in association with mascontour GmbH, has been contracted by Deutsche Gesellschaft für

Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to implement the Tourism Component “Support to the Tour-

ism Value Chain” of the “More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) Programme” in Malawi.

One major goal of this assignment was the development of a Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework for

Malawi that should enable public and private tourism stakeholder to market the destination in a strategic and

result-oriented manner.

The Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework covers the following five key elements:

Definition of an overall vision and strategic goals to guide Malawi´s internal decision-making process

concerning strategic and operational tourism marketing measures

Determination of main source markets and appropriate market segments

Definition of suitable and competitive product lines

Identification of Malawi´s tourism brand essence and development of a clear brand message

Development of a strategic marketing action plan

To achieve broad participation, empowerment and ownership among relevant public and private stakeholders

with regard to the proposed strategic direction and measures of the strategy a consultation process has been

arranged.

As a result of this consultation process the present report includes the jointly agreed Malawi Tourism Mar-

keting Strategy Framework for the next five years (2017-2021) which should serve at the same time as

decision-making basis for its final and official approval by the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Indus-

try, Trade and Tourism.

Executive Summary

Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021)


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Since February 2015 the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is imple-

menting the “More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) Programme” in Malawi. MIERA’s goal

is to enhance incomes and employment opportunities, particularly for poorer sections of the rural population, by

supporting MSMEs and smallholder farmers to embrace new marketing approaches and make greater efforts

to add value to their produce. The programme applies a value chain approach and has selected an initial group

of agricultural and non-agricultural value chains for development: casava, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, tour-

ism and eco-friendly construction (in peri-urban areas). The aim is to link up small-scale producers and business

entities with formal or structured market channels, which will enable them to access higher-value markets and

thus increase their income.

Particip GmbH, in association with mascontour GmbH, has been contracted by GIZ to implement the Tourism

Component “Support to the Tourism Value Chain” of the MIERA Programme. The tourism component aims

at contributing to the overall MIERA Programme through activities in the following sub-components:

(a) Strengthen vocational education and training in the tourism sector;

(b) Strengthen development and marketing of tourism products;

(c) Establishment of national and regional networks.

In February 2016 mascontour GmbH started to support the accomplishment of sub-component (b) “Strengthen

development and marketing of tourism products” through technical advice. The overall aim of this assignment

was the development of a Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework for Malawi that should enable public and

private tourism stakeholder to market the destination in a strategic and result-oriented manner.

As a first step a comprehensive tourism situation analysis has been conducted with the aim to

indicate the status quo of Malawi’s tourism development;

analyze existing strengths and weaknesses as well as

identify needs for action with the aim to achieve appropriate long-term framework conditions for a suc-

cessful marketing of Malawi as a tourism destination.

The tourism situation analysis included a detailed desk research and a field trip to Malawi for visiting the

most important tourism hotspots and conducting interviews with public and private stakeholders of Malawi´s

tourism sector (15-28 February 2016). The analysis covered the following 15 key topics:

Background and Introduction

Key Topics of the Tourism Situation Analysis


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Based on the findings and results of the tourism situation analysis mascontour GmbH developed a draft Tour-

ism Marketing Strategy Framework for Malawi. Moreover, a consultation process has been arranged to

achieve broad participation, empowerment and ownership among relevant stakeholders with regard to the pro-

posed strategic direction and measures of the strategy. This process included the implementation of four con-

sultative workshops: one public sector workshop in Lilongwe (28 October 2016) as well as three private sector

workshops in Mzuzu (21 November 2016), Lilongwe (23 November 2016) and Blantyre (25 November 2016).

During these workshops the draft Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework has been presented and intensively

discussed with public and private representatives of the tourism sector.

As a result of this consultation process the present report includes the jointly agreed Malawi Tourism Mar-

keting Strategy Framework for the next five years (2017-2021) which should serve at the same time as

decision-making basis for its final and official approval by the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Indus-

try, Trade and Tourism. The strategy covers the following five key elements:

Key Elements of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework


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Even though many strategic documents and policy papers are

in place, tourism lacks an overall marketing vision and

clear political direction.

The current tourism governance conditions resulting generally

in a more activity than strategy based marketing approach.

There are a huge number of ongoing marketing efforts but no

clear evidence about their outputs and impacts.

Malawi requires a consistent tourism marketing strategy to

create planning security and to enable strategically based de-

cision making.

The overall spirit of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework is focused on two principles: “Doing

the right things” (strategic approach) and “Doing things right” (operational approach) following a partic-

ipatory approach that should create ownership and empowerment among public and private stakeholders for

a joint and cooperative implementation of the strategy.

The following vision and strategic goals of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework serve as a

clear, future-oriented and inspiring roadmap for public and private tourism stakeholders as well as are intended

to guide Malawi´s internal decision-making process concerning strategic and operational tourism marketing

measures for the upcoming five years (2017-2021).

Overall Vision and Goals

Spirit of the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework

Broad Participation

Creation of Ownership

Stakeholder Empowerment

Joint Implementation

Conclusions of the Tourism Situation Analysis


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To raise the effectiveness and economic impact of tourism marketing efforts in terms of

targeted positioning and visibility in key markets,

provision of attractive, quality-driven and customized product solutions as well as

professional promotion of a clear brand image of Malawi

making it to a reliable and competitive travel destination and tourism business partner in Southern Africa.


VISION


STRATEGIC GOALS

Goal 1: Source Markets and Market Segmentation

Identify, determine and prioritize promising source countries and appropriate market segments to pursue a customized and tailor-made marketing approach.

Goal 2: Product Lines

Structure and bundle existing tourism products and activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and convincingly to the target audience.

Goal 3: Destination Branding

Underpin and substantiate the destination brand image of Malawi to extract its competitive advantages as well as to communicate a coherent image and brand message.

Goal 4: Strategic Marketing Action Plan

Develop the baseline for innovative and future-oriented marketing measures which are strategically linked with promising source countries and appropriate market segments.


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Malawi’s tourism market is still not defined in an appropri-

ate manner allowing long-term realistic decision making

In case of the international and regional market the most im-

portant source countries have to be identified

Moreover, promising target groups have to be determined

for all important source countries as well as for the domestic

market – incl. special interest groups and niche markets

(e.g. bird watchers)

Ensuring the availability of reliable up to date data of the

international, regional and domestic tourism market/demand

in the near future is of great importance to facilitate demand-

driven marketing activities and effective success/impact moni-

toring


STRATEGIC GOAL

Goal 1: Source Markets and Market Segmentation

Identify, determine and prioritize promising source countries and appropriate market segments to pursue a customized and tailor-made marketing approach.

Source Markets and Market Segmentation


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Relevant tourism markets for Malawi are the international market (countries outside Africa), the regional

market (countries within Africa) and the domestic market. The determination and prioritization of the main

international and regional source countries for future tourism development have been derived from:

Key source countries for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals)

Key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of international arri-

vals)

Malawi’s top 5 source countries (according to local public and private tourism stakeholders´ estimation)

Major global and European outbound markets (according to market share)

Latest market research results on the European outbound tourism market

Countries with significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats

Countries with direct flight connections to Malawi

Based on these findings the following key international source countries for Malawi have been identified, divided

into 1st priority markets, 2nd second priority markets as well as future markets (for observation):

Key International Tourism Source Countries for Malawi


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Hereafter for each identified country some facts and arguments are given that underline and justify the selec-

tion that has been made above.

1st priority markets at international level

3rd most important global and major European outbound market (2015)

Largest European outbound adventure tourism market (especially diving tourism)

One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially hiking and cy-

cling tourism, expecting good sustainability performance)

One of the top five European source markets for cruise tourism (potential for Lake Malawi)

Water and bathing is of major importance for Germans and often forms the basis of a holiday experi-

ence

High interest in unique and authentic experiences and interaction with local communities

One of the key source countries of regional competitors in Southern Africa (according to number of

international arrivals in recent years)

11th most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)

Among Malawi’s top 5 promising source countries (according to local public and private tourism

stakeholders´ estimation)

Germany

4th most important European outbound market (2015)

One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially hiking tourism

and bird watching, expecting good sustainability performance)

High interest in unique and authentic experiences and interaction with local communities, often in

emerging countries

Well-established market for cultural tourism


Netherlands


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2nd most important global outbound market (2015)

Strong outbound market for nature and eco-tourism (especially bird watching)






Native English speakers

USA

4th most important global and 2nd most important European outbound market (2015)

Biggest bird watcher community in Europe

One of the biggest European outbound markets for nature and eco-tourism (especially cycling tour-

ism and wildlife observation, expecting good sustainability performance) and adventurous holidays

(especially diving tourism)







Significant proportion of Malawian ex-pats


UK


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2nd priority markets at international level

9th most important global outbound market (2015)

Australians have a great propensity to travel with high addiction to (nature-based) sport activities

Mature and high income market




Australia


Belgians are considered as the most explorative traveler nation in Europe, as 31% enjoy visiting new

countries and experiencing different cultures whilst on holiday

Hiking tourism is a very popular form of engaging with nature



Belgium

China is the major global outbound market (2015)

It represents by far the fastest growing global source market in recent years and has become the

world’s top spender in international tourism since 2012

In comparison to mature tourism markets in Europe and elsewhere, the Chinese tourism market dif-

fers extremely in terms of travel expectations and behaviour requiring tailor-made products and com-

fortable services (Mandarin speaking guides, Chinese food, good shopping facilities, easily accessi-

ble and high-class sightseeing spots, gambling etc.)

Given the deepening economic relations between Africa and China and the growing interest of Chi-

nese leisure travelers in “exotic” destinations, the number of Chinese visitors to Africa is bound to

grow further

China


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6th most important global and 3rd most important European outbound market (2015)


One of the biggest European outbound markets for adventure tourism (especially trekking/hiking tour-

ism, road biking tourism and diving tourism)



France

8th most important global and 7th most important European outbound market (2015)


High interest in local gastronomy, cultural heritage tourism and interacting with the local population



Italy


Poland is by far the largest Eastern European source market for trips to less developed countries

Mainstream holidays, sun and beach holidays and round trips offer the best product potential

As the tourism market matures, special interest segments such as adventure tourism are expected to

increase

Poland


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Future markets (for observation) at international level

Using the same approach as for the international countries, the following key regional source countries for

Malawi have been identified, divided into 1st priority markets and 2nd priority markets.

Even though there was a decline of Russian outbound tourism in recent times, Russia is still the 5th

most important global outbound market (2015)

Economic growth and the expansion of the Russian middle class is one major driver for a strong out-

bound tourism

Still the Russian tourism market differs from mature tourism markets in Europe and elsewhere

The majority of Russian tourists prefer sun & beach destinations. However, there is an increasing

number choosing countries where they can supplement sun & beach with other activities, such as

cultural and sporting events, shopping and relaxation

Russia

Key Regional Tourism Source Countries for Malawi


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Hereafter for each identified country some facts and arguments are given that underline and justify the selec-

tion that has been made above.

1st priority markets at regional level

1st most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)

Neighbouring country

Mozambique

2nd most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)



Direct flight connection to Malawi


South Africa

3rd most important source country for Malawi (according to number of international arrivals in 2013)




Zambia



Tanzania


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2nd priority markets at regional level




Zimbabwe



Kenya


Ethiopia


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Besides the identification and determination of key tourism markets for Malawi also market segmentation is

another important step to achieve a successful marketing approach. Market segmentation is understood as the

process of defining and subdividing a large homogenous market into clearly identifiable segments having similar

needs, wants, or demand characteristics. Its objective is to design a marketing mix that precisely matches the

expectations of customers in the targeted segment.

The main benefits of market segmentation are the following:

Better matching of customer needs – Customer needs differ. Creating separate offers for each segment

provides customers with a better solution.

Enhanced profits for business – Customers have different disposable income. They are, therefore, dif-

ferent in how sensitive they are to price. By segmenting markets, businesses can raise average prices and

subsequently enhance profits.

Retain more customers – As customer circumstances change, for example they grow older, form families,

change jobs or get promoted, their buying patterns change. By marketing products that appeal to customers

at different stages of their life (“life-cycle”), a business can retain customers who might otherwise switch to

competing products and brands.

Target marketing communications – Businesses need to deliver their marketing message to a relevant

customer audience. If the target market is too broad, there is a strong risk that the key customers are

missed and the cost of communicating to customers becomes too high / unprofitable.

The derivation of tourism market segments for Malawi is based on a synchronized examination of the fol-

lowing issues:

Global tourism mega trends and lifestyle research data

Tourism market and lifestyle research data of the selected source markets

Results of the tourism situation analysis

Malawi’s tourism product portfolio

Malawi’s tourism demand

For a proper clustering of Malawi’s tourism market segments a range of variables have been applied:

Geographic variables Focus source countries

Socio-demographic variables Age group, income, level of education

Psychographic variables Mindset, values, needs

Travel behavior variables Purpose of travel, type of travel, travel booking, travel duration, travel

companions, quality and accommodation demands, type of accommo-

dation

Product-related variables Preferred product lines, typical activities


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As a result of this approach, the following tourism market segments have been identified for Malawi:

Malawi’s Tourism Market Segments at a Glance

Mainstream and Convenience-Pursuing Explorers

Authentic Nature and Culture Lovers

Active and Thrill-Oriented Adventurers

Freethinking and Sophisticated Individualists

Curious and Price-Sensitive Digital Natives

Special Interest and Sensation Seekers

Short and Intensive Holiday Makers

Public and Private

Event Organizers


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Mindset, values and needs

Entertainment and consumption-oriented mindset and travel behavior

Experienced (international) travelers

Without specific interest in destination´s environment

Place high significance on contrasting experiences (i.e. different from their day-to-day lifes)

Place high importance on value and hence critically balance benefits with costs

Type of travel

Staying in one destination

Cross-border trips

Multi-destination trips

Accommodation demands

Middle to upper class

Travel booking

Individual, customized trips

Package trips

Markets Priority/relevance Focus source countries

International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK

Regional market High

Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,

Zimbabwe

Domestic Market High Malawi


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Alternative and sustainable-oriented mindset and travel behavior

Seek pure and close nature and culture experiences

Involve themselves in holiday activities

Are very sociable and want to absorb the day-to-day culture

Attach high importance on local and organic food, environmental protection and

social equity and fairness

Type of travel


Cross-border trips


Lower to middle class

Travel booking

Self-organized trips


Package trips


International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA

Regional market High South Africa



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Sportive and health-oriented mindset and travel behavior

Specialized on niche sports

Expect a variety of exciting/unique outdoor experiences on any single trip

Place high importance on quality of local outdoor conditions, infrastructure and equipment

Type of travel




Travel booking




International market Middle Germany, UK

Regional market Middle South Africa

Domestic Market Middle Malawi


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Unconventional and materialistic-oriented mindset and travel behavior

Image-conscious and opinion leaders within their peer and social groups

Travelling and holidaying is a very important aspect of their daily life

Price is not a major criterion

They expect high end performance and quality

Type of travel



Upper class

Travel booking




International market Middle Germany, UK, USA

Regional market High South Africa

Domestic Market None ---


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Modern and technical-oriented mindset and travel behaviour

Are flexible, online affine and liberal with a broad interest in world affairs

Look for diversion and relations to like-minded people

Like to combine holidays with volunteer jobs

Type of travel


Cross-border trips


Lower class

Travel booking



International market Middle Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA

Regional market Middle South Africa, Tanzania Zambia, Mozambique

Domestic Market Middle Malawi


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Self-centered and ascetic-oriented mindset and travel behavior

Are very active and focused in their pursuits

Expect to come away having learnt and experienced something new and substantial

Look for personal, tailor-made products and exchange on similar terms

Type of travel




Travel booking




International market High Germany, Netherlands, UK, USA

Regional market Middle South Africa

Domestic Market None ---


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Time sensitive and target-oriented mindset and travel behaviour

Prefer short drives, easily accessible locations and good transport options

Expect attractive leisure offers according to their needs and interests

Look for a convincing price-performance-ratio

Type of travel




Travel booking



Package trips


International market None ---

Regional market High Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,

Zimbabwe



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Business-oriented mindset or sociable and festive-oriented attitude

Look for locations with an appropriate atmosphere

Demand customized solutions for the respective type of event

Expect high service quality and a professional performance

Type of travel




Travel booking



Package trips


International market None ---

Regional market High Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia,

Zimbabwe



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Malawi‘s entire tourism product lacks of consistence and

clearness in terms of well-defined product lines to market

it convincingly

Product development requires a stronger focus on cross-

border packages and multi-destination offers combined

with tailor-made, personalized product solutions (dynamic

packaging) aiming at creating unique and lifetime experiences

for tourists

The strategic goal of determining product lines is to structure and bundle existing tourism products and

activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and

convincingly to the target audience.

The product lines for the destination Malawi have been derived from:

The identification of Malawi´s principal tourism themes (see below);

product impressions of the field mission;

statements of interviewed stakeholders;

results of the desk research;

analysis of Malawi’s tourism product portfolio;

considering Malawi’s main source countries and market segments.

Product Lines


STRATEGIC GOAL

Goal 2: Product Lines

Structure and bundle existing tourism products and activities in a way that they truly reflect Malawi’s tourism offer as a whole and can be promoted attractively and convincingly to the target audience.


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Based on Malawi´s principal tourism themes the following product lines have been developed and further

outlined in terms of

title (incl. attractive photos, pictograms and individual colours to facilitate the external communication of

each product line);

marketing message;

activities;

special events;

hotspots and

development needs.

Malawi’s Principal Tourism Themes


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EXPERIENCE CULTURE & PEOPLE

EXPERIENCE LAKE

EXPERIENCE NATURE

EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE

EXPERIENCE MICE

Malawi’s Tourism Product Lines at a Glance


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Marketing Message

9th largest lake of the world and the 3rd largest in Africa

One of the world’s deepest freshwater bodies

Top location for fresh water diving

Sunbathing and relaxing like at the seaside

Great variety of soft and adventure water activities

Special Events

Lake of Stars Festival

Lake of Malawi Sailing Marathon

Activities

Soft activities

Sunbathing

Snorkeling

Kayaking

Fishing

Cruise (round)trips

Island visiting

… and more

Adventure activities

Diving

Stand up paddling

Water skiing

Wind surfing

Catamaran tours

Yachting

… and more

How to further develop the product line?

Elaborate a tourism development and investment strategy (taking into account climate change and bio-

diversity issues)

Encourage investments in new and innovative accommodation facilities (e.g. houseboats, waterside

lodges) and tourism offers (e.g. waterbikes, walking balls)

Strengthen and expand existing water-related activities and service

es (incl. quality standards)

Establish (upscale) lake cruising as a new and unique tourism product

EXPERIENCE LAKE

Hotspots (Selection)

Product Line “Experience Lake”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs


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Marketing Message

Nine national parks and four wildlife reserves

Mount Mulanje as a biodiversity hotspot offering an ex-

ceptional ecosystem rich in diverse species

Great variety of nature-based soft and adventure activ-

ities

Different climate zones, diverse landscapes and vege-

tation types

Special Events

Mount Mulanje Porters’ Race

Activities

Soft activities

Walking/Hiking

Cycling

Horse riding

Golfing

Driving scenic routes

by car

Adventure activities

Trekking

Mountain biking

Climbing/Abseiling

Bouldering

Parachuting

Paragliding


Improve road access to remote/protected areas and establish a touristic road signage system

Provide appropriate infrastructure and signage conditions for nature-based tourism activities to meet

international standards (e.g. hiking trails, climbing routes)

Strengthen and expand the development of nature-based tourism products

Provide professional outdoor equipment services (e.g. rental of bikes, mountainbikes, Nordic walking

sticks, climbing gear)

Product Line “Experience Nature”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs

EXPERIENCE NATURE

Nyika National Park

Mulanje Mountains

Zomba Plateau



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Marketing Message

Offers world’s greatest diversity of freshwater fish with

over 1.000 species

Home to the Big Five

Around 650 bird species of which several are endan-

gered or can be only found in the region

Activities

Game viewing

Game driving

Walking safaris

Boat safaris

Bird watching

Fish watching


Improve road access to remote/protected areas and establish a touristic road signage system

Provide scientific and popular wildlife information (e.g. books about the birds or fishes of Malawi,

wildlife illustrated books, wildlife information boards in protected areas, educational trails)

Develop tourism products for special interest groups (e.g. bird watchers, fish lovers, volunteer

tourists)

Establish wildlife visitor centers in Majete Wildlife Reserve or Liwonde National Park and in Lake Ma-

lawi National Park

Product Line “Experience Wildlife”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs

EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE



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Marketing Message

World Heritage Site featuring the richest concentration

of rock art in Central Africa (Chongoni Rock Art)

Nkhotokota – town was a prosperous slave depot for

Arab slave traders in the 19th century

Memorial sights to remember the Scottish missionary

and explorer David Livingstone

Famous for its tea, coffee and sugar plantations

Great diversity of local arts and handicrafts

Special Events

Blantyre Arts Festival

Activities

Attending ceremonies and rituals

Art and handicraft market visits

Visiting museums, cultural monuments, missions and

churches, traditional villages, tea plantations, coffee

farms and sugar estates

Pottery making

Tasting local products and cuisine…and more


Encourage the offer of creative and traditional Malawian dishes (e.g. the chambo)

Expand the availability of local products (e.g. tea, coffee, wine, gin) for tasting and selling (e.g. in ac-

commodation facilities)

Develop homestay products and community-based tourism projects

Foster the integration of cultural goods and services into existing products/package tours to support

(small) cultural projects and businessmen (e.g. visits and guided tours to handicraft suppliers or tradi-

tional villages)

Product Line “Experience Culture & People”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs

EXPERIENCE CULTURE & PEOPLE



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Marketing Message

Wide range of accommodations around the country offer-

ing excellent infrastructure for any kind of events

Activities

Hold meetings and workshops

Organize congresses and conferences

Host exhibitions and fairs

Celebrating birthdays, weddings and other family events


Inventory and categorize existing MICE facilities for market-oriented promotion activities

Establish quality standard for MICE facilities

Develop supplemental tourism products for businessmen (half-day, one-day or weekend tours)

Product Line “Experience MICE”: Marketing Guidelines and Development Needs

EXPERIENCE MICE



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Considering the identified source markets as well as the determined market segments and product lines the

following graphics present the linkages and relations between these three important marketing compo-

nents which should support demand-oriented product development and strategic-oriented decision making in

terms of planning and implementing effective marketing activities.


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Malawi is surrounded by strong competitors with a clearly

defined USP, which is currently lacking for Malawi

Therefore it is crucial that the marketing strategy framework

looks for distinctive features and characteristics to re-

gional competitors outlining convincing reasons why people

should visit Malawi

The existing destination brand needs to be seriously re-

flected for taking a decision how to proceed with it:

▪ Further use of the existing tourism brand or

▪ new tourism brand

Tourism destination branding is of key importance in the development of a holistic destination marketing frame-

work. In this context, it is crucial to point out that a brand is not just a product, a logo, a slogan, imagery, design

style or a marketing campaign. A brand encompasses all these aspects and connects them. A brand is a com-

petitive identity. It makes a destination distinctive and differentiates it from all others. It refers to the essence or

core characteristics of a destination, which comprise its personality.

The UNWTO brand pyramid approach (see graphic below) is a tool which helps destination decision makers

to assess the main strengths of their destination and to derive its brand essence, the DNA of the destination,

which forms the core of the branding strategy and should run through every act of marketing communication

and behaviour by the Department of Tourism and the destination’s tourism stakeholders. Various forms of the

brand pyramid exist, for Malawi it was decided to work with the Five-Stage Brand Pyramid, as it is the simplest

and most concise.

Destination Branding


STRATEGIC GOAL

Goal 3: Destination Branding

Underpin and substantiate the destination brand image of Malawi to extract its competitive advantages as well as to communicate a coherent image and brand message.


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As the graphic below shows, the pyramid is built on the rational attributes of the destination, which can be

derived from a SWOT analysis and consumer research. The latter also gives important information for the emo-

tional benefits that a visitor can take as an “emotional take-out” from the destination. The third stage, the brand

personality is based on a competitor analysis and summarizes the main character traits of the destination. The

positioning statement pinpoints what makes the destination stand out from everywhere else. Finally, and most

importantly the four stages lead to the fifth aspect, the brand essence, which describes the essential nature

and character of the destination, is to say the essence which will be used for all branding exercises.

By taking advantage of the UNWTO brand pyramid approach the rational attributes, emotional benefits as well

as the brand personality have been identified resulting into a positioning statement for Malawi´s tourism

brand.


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Malawi’s Tourism Brand Pyramid

Land of short distances; English spoken country; pleasant

and diverse climate conditions

Safe African tourism experience (long-term peaceful environ-

ment, stable political conditions, no religious conflicts, low

crime rate)

Lake Malawi (9th largest lake in the world, 3rd biggest in Af-

rica, unique lake based water sports, sun & beach opportuni-

ties)

Wildlife experience (Big Five, outstanding endemic fish biodi-

versity, bird watching) and nature based and adventurous

activities in varied landscapes

Authentic hospitality (renowned friendliness, kindness) and

rich cultural living experiences (villages, arts and crafts,

events)

Tea and coffee plantations (2nd largest tea producer in

Africa)

Rational Attributes

Sense of feeling welcomed

Forming an instant connection with the local community

Culturally enriched

Special/unique lake experience

Excited by the outstanding variety of nature based

opportunities

Emotional Benefits

A safe, innately welcoming, off the beaten track destination

with a diverse natural and cultural experience factor within

short distances

Brand Personality

A country of small distances, bringing together diverse land-

scapes, home to the Big Five and one of the major lake at-

tractions in the world, peaceful by nature and renowned for

its extraordinary hospitality and kind-hearted people

Positioning Statement


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As a final step of this UNWTO brand pyramid approach the brand essence has been derived which is focused

on three main key messages/essences that should form the core of the national tourism brand of Malawi.

Moreover, it was assessed whether to keep the existing “Malawi, the warm heart of Africa” brand. Several

reasons were found to continue working with the brand.

Firstly the destination brand has been used for more than 40 years and has built up an accumulated brand

recognition throughout the years. Changing Malawi´s brand would be a radical change, which risks losing this

brand equity. And rebranding is an expensive process. Additionally, the

brand pyramid assessment found that the slogan „warm heart of Africa“ is

fitting, as it still captures the main essence of the tourism product.

Therefore, it can be summarized that it is suitable for the international,

regional and domestic market: For Malawians a sense of pride & belong-

ing, for regional tourists a reputation and for international tourists a promise

of hospitality that awaits after a long journey.

Despite the recommendation to keep the current brand, a number of obsta-

cles need to be overcome. The brand pyramid assessment showed that the

current brand is undefined in some aspects and lacks substance with

regard to Malawi´s main touristic attributes. It is not clearly communicated to all stakeholders and fails to be

consistently circulated. Also there is a lack between the destination’s brand values and the marketing cam-

paigns. Moreover, the design and colour scheme of the logo are outdated, compared to international standards

and competitors branding. The existing brand needs to be refreshed and filled with substance so that it remains

credible and up to date.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended to create a new logo or update the existing one.

Malawi’s Brand Essence for Tourism Marketing

RICH in Contrast - Diverse lake experience, variety of landscapes, habitats, climates and cultural assets

SMALL in Size - Little surface, short distances, comparatively little crowded

BIG in Hospitality - Peaceful environment, neighbourly social inter-action, tolerant and authentic relationship with visitors and other cultures


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To foster the external brand communication an elevator pitch was used, meaning a short sales pitch that is a

summary taken to quickly and simply define the brand message of a tourism destination (in this case of Malawi).

The name 'elevator pitch' reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of

an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds.

The summary of Malawi´s brand message for the three tourism markets (international, regional and domestic)

has been defined as follows:

This elevator pitch is intended to be communicated to all relevant destination stakeholders and regularly re-

peated as it is a useful way to remind oneself of the main message that should be conveyed to each market

and to develop adequate marketing actions based on these messages.

A more detailed, effective and popular way to communicate the brand essence and core values to the markets

is by breaking it down into “Reasons why I should visit a Destination”. These reasons can easily be used

and shared through online marketing and other marketing measures or promotion activities.

The following 10 reasons have been identified for Malawi:

Malawi’s Brand Message for Tourism Markets - Elevator Pitch

International Market “Malawi is a diverse country of short distances, which unites

contrasted landscapes and is home to the Big Five and Lake

Malawi, the 9th biggest fresh water lake in the world, a natural

aquarium with the highest endemic fish biodiversity worldwide.

Malawians are peaceful by nature and renowned for their kind-

heartedness.”

Domestic Market “Malawi is my home and pride, the place where our nation´s

natural and cultural highlights come together which I treasure

and actively enjoy whenever possible.”

Regional Market “Malawi is the neighbour of small distances, a safe haven to

relax, connect with contrasted nature and enjoy true hospitality.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sales_pitch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator


P a g e | 42

10 Reasons Why I Should Visit Malawi

PEACEFUL, ACCESSIBLE AND SCENERY COUNTRY Go on an authentic African trip in a peaceful and safe environment

and discover the land of small distances that allows maximum

experience in short time

PLEASANT CLIMATE Encounter contrasted climate zones

MALAWIAN PEOPLE – KIND-HEARTEDNESS BY NATURE Experience hospitality in its purest form and feel the warm heart of Africa

LAKE MALAWI Find serenity at one of the major lake attractions in Africa, admire the highest

biodiversity of fresh water fish in the world and visit Lake Malawi National Park –

an UNESCO-World Heritage Site and first freshwater National Park worldwide – or

Chizumulu and Likoma Island

NEWEST BIG FIVE DESTINATION Visit Malawi’s protected areas (9 national parks and 4 wildlife reserves) and be eye to

eye with the Big Five far away from large tourist crowds

AUTHENTIC NATURE EXPERIENCE Discover the highest peak in Central Africa (Sapitwa, 3.002 m above sea level), enjoy

the variety of landscapes, habitats and the rich biodiversity (e.g. 650 species of birds)

ATTRACTIVE OUTDOOR SPORT CONDITIONS Be active and engage in water based (e.g. snorkeling, diving, kayaking), nature based

(e.g. bird watching, hiking, cycling, horse riding) or adventure oriented (e.g. climbing,

trekking, mountain biking) outdoor sport opportunities

RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE Visit the Livingstone Trail or the UNESCO World Heritage Mt. Chungoni Rock Arts and

get inspired by traditional villages, arts, crafts and dances and 12 different tribes

LOCAL DELICACIES Enjoy fresh fish of Lake Malawi (e.g. the chambo) or a cup of original Malawian coffee

or tea, the country is 2nd largest tea producer in Africa

POPULAR EVENTS Participate in local events like the famous Lake of Stars Festival, the Likoma Festival

(Likoma and Chisumulu islands) or the Lake Malawi International Sailing Marathon


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There are a huge number of marketing ideas and ongoing

marketing efforts which still require a stronger strategic fo-

cus by linking them with determined product lines and

defined source markets/target groups for maximizing out-

puts and visible impacts

Identified needs for action to improve Malawi’s tourism mar-

keting performance

▪ Increasing the output of international fair participation

▪ Ensuring a consistent web presence

▪ Using and taking advantage of social media

▪ Providing prospects and brochures created and designed

in a state-of-the-art manner

▪ Consolidating and extending public relations activities

▪ Improving tourist information office services and equip-

ment

Strategic Marketing Action Plan

STRATEGIC GOAL

Goal 4: Strategic Marketing Action Plan

Develop the baseline for innovative and future-oriented marketing measures which are strategically linked with promising source countries and appropriate market segments.



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The Strategic Marketing Action Plan aims at initiating and facilitating the implementation of Malawi’s Tourism

Marketing Strategy Framework (2017-2021) and is focused on the following main activity areas:

The proposed actions to be undertaken for implementing the Malawi Tourism Marketing Strategy Framework

have been divided into short-term actions (= by the end of 2017) and mid-term actions (= by the end of 2019)

including the definition of priorities, responsibilities and market relevance (see next pages).

However, the proposed actions as a whole are ambitious and serve mainly as com-

pass for future decision making. Therefore, it is recommended and necessary that

the Department of Tourism and other relevant tourism stakeholders set own priori-

ties according to available resources and decisions taken.

Activity Areas of the Strategic Marketing Action Plan


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Activity Area: Strategy/Financing

Priority Actions Responsibilities Market Relevance

International Regional Domestic

High Official approval of Malawi’s Tourism Marketing Strategy

▪ Vision and strategic goals

▪ Key (international and regional) source markets

▪ Market segments

▪ Product lines

▪ Matching between market segments, product lines and source markets

▪ Destination branding

▪ Strategic Marketing action plan

Department of Tourism, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism

High Identification of funding/revenue sources and develop-ment of a realistic financing strategy (mix of different funding/revenues sources) to stabilise/increase the tour-ism marketing budget

▪ Levy collection mechanism lacks effectiveness resulting in reasonable loss of levy revenues, therefore short-term effective measures have to be undertaken to ensure the full delivery of the mandatory levy

▪ Increase of levy and/or diversification of fees

▪ Proportional use of visa fees for tourism development and marketing purposes

▪ Establishing public private partnerships for joint market-ing activities

▪ Strategic/project-based alliances with donor organisa-tions to strengthen tourism marketing efforts

▪ Submission of proposals to get financial support from in-ternational funds and programmes (e.g. EU)

Department of Tourism


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Activity Area: Tourism Research and Statistics



High Ensuring in the near future the availability of reliable up to date data of the international, regional and domestic tour-ism market/demand to facilitate demand-driven marketing activities and effective success/impact monitoring

▪ Basic tourism statistical data system (international arri-vals, occupancy rate etc.)

▪ International Visitor Survey (already prepared by GIZ-MIERA!)

▪ Domestic Visitor Survey

▪ Accommodation Survey (already prepared by GIZ-MIERA!)

▪ Tourism economic impact analysis (based on Tourism Satellite Account)

▪ Regional Tourism Competitor Analysis



P a g e | 47

Activity Area: Destination Branding



High Further development of the existing brand towards a sub-stantial destination brand with a convincing brand message

▪ Approval of the proposed tourism brand essence of Ma-lawi

▪ Approval to keep the established brand „Malawi, the warm heart of Africa“

▪ Approval of the proposed brand message for the three markets (elevator pitch)

▪ Approval of the proposed reasons “Why I should visit Ma-lawi?”

▪ Creation of a new logo or update existing one

▪ Development of a Cooperate Design (CD) for print and online promotion

▪ Process-oriented incorporation of the brand message into print and online promotion (e.g. via sub-slogans)

Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council


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Activity Area: Tourism Fairs



High Focus and determination of a carefully selected number of geographically and thematically relevant international and regional consumer, trade and special interest fairs, ensuring an adequate return on investment in terms of mar-keting and networking

Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council, Private Sector

Recommended fairs for the international market

Priority trade fairs: ITB (Germany), WTM (UK)

Priority consumer fairs: CMT (Germany)

Priority special interest fairs: Birdfair (UK)


Recommended fairs for the regional market

Priority trade fairs: WTM (South Africa); Indaba (South Africa)

Priority special interest fairs: IBTM Africa (South Africa)


General considerations Start at least 6 months before the respective fair takes place with preparation and develop every year an individual concept for each fair attendance (thematic focus, special activities etc.)

Make sure that the booth has an innovative design and attracts consumers/trade visitors through multimedia (e.g. videos) and interactive (e.g. touchscreens) applications

Reach out and communicate with the private sector for cooperation possibilities (shared stand, partnering up for events, speakers at press conference, etc.)

Ensure comprehensive briefing of attending Malawi public and private representatives

Specific considerations Trade Fairs

Distribution of up-to-date press kit (press releases, brochures, etc.); Malawi press conference or networking event for press and tour operators at the booth; Participation in fair convention programme (e.g. ITB Africa Forum) and Blogger Speed Dating Events; Organizing special events for tour operators and press (e.g. gala dinner in a restaurant)

Consumer Fairs

Distribution of relevant consumer information material (brochures, maps, etc.) and giveaways; Malawi’s booth presentation should be focused on specific topics/product lines; Gastronomic and cultural presentations at the booth (local food tastings, drinks and music); Raffle/quiz about particular touristic highlights in Malawi

Special interest fairs

Strong partnerships with private sector to ensure a product centered participation; Targeted activities, directly related to the special interest audience, providing all necessary information material and business contacts


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Activity Area: Public Relations



High Cooperation with international PR agencies as PR repre-sentatives in the UK, Germany and the USA, due to the size, maturity and importance of these markets


High Organize regular press trips, according to specific themes (e.g. adventure, culture, wildlife, etc.): 8-10 participants, ap-prox. 1 week


High Host annual press conference at key industry events, e.g. ITB Berlin or INDABA


Medium Placement of editorial content in leading travel media through strong relationships with key media of relevance for the identified target markets/ segments ranging from large inter-national media players to smaller, specialized media

Department of Tourism, Malawi Tourism Council

Medium Reach out to special interest media (through PR represent-atives) to offer targeted press events and trips to reach cover-age addressing promising niche markets (e.g. birdwatching, fish hobbyists, etc.)


Medium Set up blogger cooperation with major influencers, in the backpacker, volunteering and young traveler scene


General considerations Assign a PR responsible within the Department of Tourism

Assure regular and well timed organization of press events and press trips, which are communicated well in advance

Elaborate a media fact sheet about tourism in Malawi, which is made available online

Issue regular newsletters, press releases and press clippings about key touristic news from Malawi

Build and sustain a detailed media database, categorizing all relevant national, regional and international media contacts (freelance journalists, newspapers, magazines, etc.)


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Activity Area: Online Marketing & Social Media



High Actively and regularly engage with identified key market seg-ments online and promote Malawi´s product lines via so-cial media channels to ensure the circulation of up-to-date news and messages


Medium Organize Blogger seminars/ coaching sessions for Ma-lawi tourism professionals (bloggers teach social media techniques in exchange for a monetary or in-kind contribution such as hotel stay, excursion, local contacts etc.) – synergies with PR work (blogger trips)


Medium Individual social media fan pages and content in languages of main priority markets (German, French, English)


Medium #mymalawi campaign: to share Malawians´ pride for their country and their favourite places. For Malawians to take their friends and family to these places and share photos via social media using the hashtag #mymalawi. Cooperating with Mala-wian influencers, e.g. young entrepreneurs, musicians or ath-letes


General considerations Assign social media manager at the Department of Tourism and ensure consistency, regular postings and interactions with community

Focus on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

Introduction and spreading of relevant, creative hashtags, e.g. #mymalawi

Emotional you-appeal – readers should feel directly addressed and engaged in storytelling

Introduce campaigns for different segments: posting of favourite photos, competitions, etc.

Facebook like campaign (in combination with organic community building) to increase the number of Facebook followers


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Activity Area: Website



High Determination of one central website for presenting Ma-lawi´s entire tourism offer, professional relaunch incl. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and continuous mainte-nance


General considerations Focusing on one central website that meets the following minimum requirements:

User-friendly navigation incl. contact and response possibilities for users

Usable on different devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.)

No exhaustive but targeted content in different languages

Innovative and modern design with an emotional visual concept (incl. high quality photos)

Clear brand message (e.g. 10 reasons why I should visit Malawi)

Attractive and well-structured presentation of Malawi’s tourism offer (according to product lines and geographical areas)

Thematic blogs linked with Malawi’s social media channels

Special information section for tour operators and media

Activity Area: Print & Multimedia


P a g e | 52



High Development of a coherent image brochure for the re-gional/international audience with convincing photos in high resolution, with strong Malawi recognition factor, giving a visual overview of the main touristic highlights and all rele-vant product lines


High Development of a special image brochure for the domes-tic market with convincing photos in high resolution high-lighting the relevant product lines for domestic market seg-ments


Medium Development of a MICE brochure indicating MICE opportu-nities and locations in Malawi


Medium Development of a foldable touristic map indicating main touristic attractions of the country and touristic infrastructure (e.g. hotels, visitor information centers, etc.)


Medium Development of an image video for presenting the different product lines


General considerations Introduce a holistic series of emotional image brochures as well as a map with the same corporate design, working strongly with storytelling aspects, e.g. by including citations of travelers, locals or

hotel owners

Provide print & multimedia material in English and German (for ITB), Dutch tend to have a high language affinity and don´t mind info material in English

Cooperate with renowned travel photographer for the brochure photos – the better and more professional the photos, the higher the impact. Assure the transmission of rights for the photos and use them consistently for marketing purposes


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Activity Area: Trade (B2B)



High Fam trips for international, regional and domestic tour oper-ators and travel agents, involving: Inspection of sites, inter-action with locals, provision of feedback on the touristic of-fer, organization of mini workshops


Medium Roadshows in the international first priority markets through participation in the annual events of important tour operators or travel agency cooperations, or participation in roadshows organized by qualified tour operators


Medium MICE campaign: send an assigned MICE responsible on a face-to-face (and in some cases virtual) sales mission to promote Malawi as a MICE destination in the regional and domestic market. This can be mainly achieved by strategic meetings with event organizers of private and public organi-zations


General considerations Regular organization and hosting of fam trips for regional and international tour operators and travel agents providing the necessary networking opportunities for incoming agencies from Malawi,

visiting tour operators as well as other tourism service providers. Sponsoring/co-financing of these trips through private sector

Build up and maintain a categorized database of national, regional and international trade partners of relevance

B2B newsletters to database contacts, with targeted and relevant contacts (e.g. touristic news, contacts to incoming agencies, special trade events)

Link with tradeshow participation in the regional market: organize matchmaking session with Malawian partners and interested regional trade representatives


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Activity Area: Advertisement



Medium Identify special interest magazines of relevance for Ma-lawi (e.g. UK Birdwatching magazines) and negotiate ad-vertisements or advertorials fitting to the overall edition´s theme (e.g. if Birdwatching magazine has a feature about African birds, combine with ad)

Department of Tourism, Private Sector

Medium Take advantage of local newspapers and magazines for tourism advertisement

Department of Tourism, Private Sector

General considerations Strong synergies with PR work and expertise of the PR representatives to negotiate adequate prices for cooperation and to find the relevant type of cooperation

Combination with press trips

Partner up with private sector to share costs of advertisements and advertorials


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Activity Area: Festival/Events



High Provide special festival/event packages (e.g. basic ac-commodation plus festival entrance, or deluxe package with luxury accommodation and exclusive back-stage)

Private Sector

High Provide combination packages (e.g. festival/event and wildlife, or Festival/event and water experience at Lake Ma-lawi incl. accommodation)

Private Sector

High Include traditional local festivals/events in existing tour

packages (in cooperation with domestic, regional and inter-national tour operators)

Private Sector

High Encourage foreign PR representatives to promote festi-

val/events of international importance Department of Tourism

High Invite selected regional journalists and bloggers to re-port from festivals/ events of international or regional im-portance


General considerations Determine the most relevant festivals/events for promotion work and highlight the Lake of Stars Festival as Malawi’s most renowned yearly event of international importance

Establish long-term media cooperations and strategic partnerships at domestic, regional and international level to raise awareness of festivals/events and to foster their media presence

Strengthen the involvement of the private sector for linking tour packages with festivals/events, supporting promotion and sharing information and costs

Conduct surveys with festival/event visitors to get information about their perceptions, interests, needs, etc.

Look for popular Malawian celebrities (e.g. musicians) who can support the promotion of festivals/events at domestic, regional and international level


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Activity Area: Visitor Services



High Establish a small, selected number of strategically posi-tioned and well equipped tourist information offices


Medium Establish a wildlife visitor center to demonstrate the biodi-versity of Lake Malawi (e.g. in the Lake Malawi National Park)

Department of Tourism and other relevant ministries

Medium Development of a touristic app “My Malawi” Department of Tourism

General considerations Limit the tourist information offices to fewer locations, focused on large cities (Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu), plus one strategically positioned tourist information office at lake Malawi

Additionally, info counters at the airport and main borders

Instead of tourist information offices use the term “tourist visitor centers”

Signage: clearly indicate the locations of the tourist information centers and other touristic offers

Ensure that staff of tourist information offices have the right attitudes and good communication skills (regular staff training is needed)

Synergies with print & multimedia to ensure rightful distribution of info material

Close communication with other tourism stakeholders such as protected areas or service providers to share information material and knowledge


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