Tourism

The Comoros is not currently a member of the UNWTO, but in 1997 it did develop a tourism strategy. This strategy has since been updated and focuses on the benefits of eco-tourism to alleviate poverty.

Although the tourism industry is not well developed in the Comoros, 45 potential tourist sites have been identified and a master tourism plan has been prepared. Tourism is regarded as a sector with strong potential for economic growth and employment. As a cross-cutting sector, it impacts directly on other sectors such as transportation, the hotel industry, commerce, construction and public works enterprises, energy, agriculture, fishing, craft activities, and telecommunications. Currently, the hotel industry has a capacity of approximately 800 beds, well below that of other countries in the region. The quality of accommodation is also uneven, ranging from international comfort standards to the somewhat rudimentary facilities offered by establishments run by nonprofessionals and barely-trained personnel. The Comoros has only one training institute for the hotel industry. At the national and regional level, the Tourism Directorate and IOC/EU have provided support for training programs and seminars for young people. Tourism in the Comoros has evolved from business trips and expatriate visits in the 1980s to tourism for pleasure in the 1990s. Peaking in the early 2000s, tourism receipts have since declined due to changes in private operators in the tourism market and political instability. The government aims to increase tourism activities but is constrained by environmental degradation in some seaside areas, deterioration of public monuments and cultural sites, a lack of tourist infrastructure and transport options, expensive transport costs, and a lack of tourist offices and tourist guides.