By Leonard Masauli & Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, August 13, Mana: Stakeholders have warned that the predicted La Niña could wreak further havoc to the country’s tourism economy due to rising water levels in Lake Malawi.

This warning was issued during a Research Dissemination Dialogue on the Economic Impact of Lake Malawi’s rising water levels at Sunbird Capital Hotel  in Lilongwe on Monday.

The Report highlights that as per the La Niña projection, the Lake has increased its water level by 45 centimetres and this was a very significant threat on tourism economy in the country.

La Niña weather conditions have been predicted by Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services for the forthcoming rainy season.

These cooler than usual temperatures disrupt global weather patterns because they cause it to become warmer.

In Southern Africa, humidity levels are expected to rise as this tropical country gets cooler during such periods.

Executive Director of Malawi Tourism Council, Memory Kamthunzi expressed her worry, saying  considering how high waters have been pushed was like sitting on a time bomb especially with the La Nina prediction next year, making the tourism in the lakeshore at risk.

“When the incident occurred, the Council conducted assessments in all regions, and it was evident that the impact on lakeshore businesses was substantial. After working with the National Planning Commission (NPC), we confirmed the severity of the situation.

“When we review our database, the rising water levels in Lake Malawi have significantly affected operators. Some businesses are no longer operational, having closed due to property damage, leading to significant job losses,” she noted.

Kamthunzi recommended that financial institutions should be lobbied to provide loans to lakeshore operators, enabling them to rebuild and resume tourism businesses.

NPC Research Manager, Dr. Andrew Jamali, highlighted that tourism contributes approximately 6.7 percent to the country’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP).

He warned that the damage to businesses is likely to affect the 2024 GDP.

“Our primary objective with these findings was to assess the impact of rising water levels on the tourism sector and estimate the potential GDP loss.

“Tourism patronage along the lakeshore has dropped, affecting revenue. We estimate that the tourism GDP will contract by 0.5 percent by the end of the year, as many establishments have not resumed full operations, and some are operating at just 45 percent capacity,” Jamali pointed out.

The Manager explained that the 0.5 percent contraction in tourism would have an overall effect on the national GDP, reducing it by an estimated 0.01 percent.

“At the stakeholders meeting, we are discussing the best ways to address construction along the lakeshore and how water levels in the lake, particularly through the Shire River tributary, can be managed in anticipation of more rain in the forthcoming season,” he added.