GAMING FOR AFRICA Gaming For Africa
Casino International’s Africa partner is the excellent Gaming For Africa magazine, bringing you the continent’s latest developments
Malawi Looks to New Casinos to Boost Tourism
Casino Marina at Golden Peacock Hotel, Lilongwe
The picturesque and peaceful African country of Malawi is set to look at increasing its casino offerings in a bid to boost tourism in the coming years. Although Malawi has historically not been one of the most visited African countries, times appear to be changing. Over the last decade, tourism has grown steadily, with the last five years seeing a rapid acceleration. Malawi has a beautiful landscape and friendly population, so it is a natural choice for holidaymakers. However, one avenue that has perhaps not been exploited as much as it could have been, is the casino trade. Here is how this sector could boost tourism to Malawi, providing additional income for residents. As a continent, Africa’s main source of tourism
comes from Europe, closely followed by the US. The opportunity to open casinos to cater both for international tourists and locals in Malawi could reasonably be expected to generate a valuable income for the country. Becoming a Casino Destination One of the country’s pioneering areas in the
casino industry has been Lilongwe, Malawis’ capital city. Lilongwe was already popular with tourists for the fantastic wildlife sanctuary at the heart of the city. However, the ability to diversify was recognized by Casino Marina group back in 2016. Now, Casino Marina Lilongwe is a major tourist destination in Lilongwe, offering table games and slot machines to enthusiastic customers. The casino sits on the prestigious
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Golden Peacock Hotel site, surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens. The experience is certainly a luxury one, that should be celebrated for the industry it has brought to the area. Following in its footsteps, two further casinos have opened, which each report a healthy income each year. While Lilongwe is home to 3 large casinos,
there is potential both in the capital to open more, or even make a nearby destination town. The Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism has said that if controlled and nurtured carefully, the benefits of a casino industry could be vast. By the end of this year, the government has hopes to increase this figure from four percent to thirteen percent. This mission could not only create thousands of jobs for Malawians, but could also improve the country’s financial standing. Another city that could well be an emerging
casino centre is Blantyre. This city is already home to two successful casinos, the Blue Elephant and the Colony Club Casino. As the centre for finance and commerce, Blantyre is already home to many hotels suitable for business travellers, so would be well equipped to deal with a boost in tourism numbers. It is located close to the Chileka International Airport, so the travel infrastructure would not be an issue. Further to this, the area already has a number of distinctive features that would appeal to tourists, including the characteristic architecture of the area, as well as the magnificent Mount Soche.
Some relief for tourism and casinos as South Africa eases lockdown regulations
Amid calls from business and the public for South Africa to ease lockdown resitrictions, and the added questioning of the constitutionality and oversight of decisions made by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - who has sole discretion around emrgency regulations, but appears to have overstepped her authority - South Africa eased lockdown restrictions this week. The directive comes after President Cyril
Ramaphosa announced that the country would ease its lockdown restrictions from midnight on Monday (17 August). While Ramaphosa has announced most of the prominent changes, the directive provides further clarity on a number of issues and makes the change to level 2 official. Hospitality and entertainment businesses such as accommodation establishments, tour operators, and casinos can now operate at 50% of floor capacity, and inter-provinciual travel is allowed - giving a much-needed boosty to local hospitality and tourims operators. South Africa anticpates a greater uptake in local tourism as cash-strapped South Africans will prefer cheaper, local vacation offerings in the near future. Theaters and cinemas are now permitted to operate at a maximum of 50 persons subjects to health and hygiene protocols such as mask wearing, social distancing, sanitization and washing of hands. Casinos, subject to a restriction on the number of persons allowed in the casino to not more than 50% of the available floor space. The further easing of alcohol and tobacco sales, a large component of the integrated resorts offering of casino operations, has also been welcomed, with shares in casino and alcohol companies surging. Share prices in Wine and spirits maker Distell Group Holdings Ltd. rose 3.1%, Tsogo Sun Hotels Ltd. climbed 7.1% after Ramaphosa lifted the prohibition of inter-provincial travel. City Lodge Hotels Ltd. advanced 6.4%, while Sun International Ltd. rose 13%. Restaurant operator Spur Corp climbed 1.9%.
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