MAPUTO FEATURE

Maputo — an unexpected destination

Over the years, I have visited many destinations all over the world, including several African destinations. However, I had never visited Maputo, and jumped at the opportunity when I was invited to visit FIKANI, the international tourism fair in Maputo, Mozambique. The show took place at the newly built Mozambique-China Cultural Centre, from Thursday, 30 November until 3 December 2023.

By Irene Costa

Dana Tours and INATUR hosted myself and a group of international media and travel buyers. Thank you to Southern Sun Maputo for hosting me, for the duration of my stay, at their beautiful hotel.

The theme of this year’s show was ‘FIKANI — For Sustainable Tourism’.

This year’s concept was chosen in response to calls from the international community for measures to preserve the environment in order to mitigate the effects of climate change.

More than 6,000 visitors, tourist and cultural service providers, travel agents, and accommodation and catering establishments, as well as public and private institutions, attended the ninth edition of FIKANI.

Nuno Fortes, director of investment and development at the National Tourism Institute, said: “Government measures are boosting and energising the tourism sector, and, for this edition, we’ve seen an increase in the number of countries and people taking part, which is satisfactory for the country as a whole.”

Maputo — a destination of new and old

Maputo — a destination I always wanted to visit, but honestly had no expectations of what to expect. Of course, I was hoping I would get to visit the world-renowned hotel, The Polana Serena Hotel, and enjoy some prawns.

However, I was completely blown away by what I experienced, thanks to Dana Tours and INATUR, who hosted us.

The programme, besides visiting FIKANI, included tours of Maputo, as well as the opportunity to visit the top hotels in the city. All with outstanding meeting spaces.

The vibrant city, is so much more than prawns… it really encapsulates new and old-world charm in the most effortless way.

Flavours of Mozambique Food Tour

The food tour took us on a culinary journey where we got to sample the local food and drinks, a must-do tour if you are visiting Maputo. The food in Maputo has to be commended as one of the tastiest cuisines I have ever experienced, and the local beer, 2M, was the best thirst-quenching option on a hot day.

Maputo is without a doubt a gastronomical experience… everything I ate, I loved.

It was great to get to taste both the more traditional food in its simplest form, as well as the more refined versions at the hotels we visited. Everything I ate was packed with flavour.

Interestingly, there were more vegetarian options than I had expected. Beans, leaves, and stems, are used in many of these dishes. A highlight was the Badjias (fried bean dumplings).

The Chicken Place offered us a local experience with the most delicious braaied chicken and chips. The restaurant was by the sea, but quite rustic, and is one of the local haunts. There were a few children present, trying to sell things, but it wasn’t excessive.

Something that wasn’t part of the food tour, but also a food highlight, The Sagres Restaurant on a beachfront, provided a feast of seafood, including prawns and calamari, as well as the most succulent, flavoursome chicken and an array of sides. If you visit Maputo, you have to have at least one meal at this spot!

Maputo City Tour

This is the best way to see and experience the city of Maputo — by foot. You get to experience the real city.

One thing I must mention is that we never experienced load shedding while we were in Maputo. Apparently, they don’t have load shedding in Maputo. Coming from South Africa that was a huge surprise!

Back to the tour, the city has old-world charm. This tour takes you back in time to Maputo’s historic downtown district, Baixa de Maputo. The Baixa was the epicentre of colonial Maputo, and our tour guide, Atalia, took us to the very heart of the story.

The route included the famous Maputo Railway Station, designed by Monsieur Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame, which is considered one of Africa’s most beautiful train stations, with its mint-green façade and beautiful architecture. It is immaculately maintained. It is definitely worth a visit to see two old steam locomotives. The station is still in use, with trains running regularly.

News flash: various other entertainment and shopping attractions.

Mozambique Convention Bureau Mozambique is currently in the process of launching a Mozambique Convention Bureau with the assistance of Rick and Colette Taylor from The Business Tourism Company.

• A feasibility study to determine Maputo and Mozambique’s market readiness for the MICE market was completed.

• The National MICE strategy — is still to be finalised.

• The Business Tourism Company presented the strategy to the World Bank. The strategy has been well received, but is currently being tweaked. Furthermore, the implementation plan has to be finalised.

• The intention is to establish the Mozambique Convention Bureau as a separate division within INATUR. Staff will have to be appointed and deliver capacity building with the assistance of The Business Tourism Company, for the Bureau. Private sector buy-in in order to increase competitiveness. The implementation will probably happen in the second quarter of 2024.

The Louis Tregardt Memorial Garden was also an interesting stop — this is yet another link to South Africa.

For me, the highlight was seeing ‘Bring Maputo Back’ firsthand — it is an initiative to revive Maputo. The buildings in this part of downtown Maputo are being renovated and painted in vibrant colours. It has a similar feel to Cape Town’s Bo-Kaap. The inspiration actually came from Bo-Kaap. The goal is to bring people back into the city — they also host events at the restaurants and pubs that spill out onto the streets.

The tour also included passing Independence Square, the City Hall, the Cathedral, and the Church of San Antonio is a landmark, also nicknamed ‘Lemon Squeezer’, for its shape. This church has a fascinating history.

The hotel offers four boardrooms for meetings; uncapped Wi-Fi; free and secure undercover parking; swimming pool; sundowner bar; and #Café restaurant serving full English and continental breakfasts, lunch and dinner daily.

Mafalala Walking Tour

The Mafalala Walking Tour takes you to the heart of the historic neighbourhood in the capital. You get to learn about Mozambique’s history, while taking in the sights and smells of the area, you get to see the community life. At the museum, you to learn more about the Mafalala literature, Marrabenta (local rhythm), traditional dancing, and sports.

The area is home to icons including Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, Samora Machel, and Tufo da Mafalala, aka ‘Muthiana Orera’.

The tour is part of a community development programme run by a local NGO focused on elevating the Mafalala community and creating opportunities for its women and youth.

the global environmental crisis that we face on our planet.

This project is made from glass bottles, as an alternative to bricks, which have been collected as part of various clean-up initiatives in the local area. This unique building is solar-powered and makes use of water collected through rainwater harvesting. This building serves as living quarters, and contains a kitchen, restroom, and meeting room for the project team, and is open to visitors to view and gain an understanding of sustainable living.

The Polana Serena Hotel

The Polana Serena Hotel, the ‘Grand Dame’ of Africa, as it is widely known, is a must-see historical landmark. The hotel celebrated a century in 2023, but has been beautifully maintained and still exudes elegance and splendour. The five-star hotel has old-world charm and if ‘walls could talk’, we can only imagine that they would have quite a number of stories to tell.

Meetings and conferences

After visiting the Glass House our group was invited to spend time on the beautiful beach. Afterwards, we were able to enjoy a scrumptious lunch.

Thankfully, we did a lot of walking and never felt guilty enjoying all the lovely food and drink.

Besides all the wonderful tours, we also participated in site visits at several worldclass properties.

The Maputo Hotels

Macaneta and The Glass House

The Glass House (Casa De Vidro) is a wonderful project, located at Macaneta, a lovely beach location.

Its mission is to address the current environmental challenges that face the Macaneta Peninsula, and surrounding areas, to provide education and raise awareness about

City Lodge Maputo

The 148-room is ideally located, within easy reach of the beautiful Costa do Sol beach, CBD, airport, a private hospital, the university, and

Since hosting its first event in 1922, Polana Serena Hotel has established itself as a coveted address for exclusive meetings and other remarkable events. Featuring opulently ornamented interiors, the atmosphere is timeless and fit for any occasion. To complete your meeting experience, Serena Polana offers impeccable service, experienced event planning, and gourmet catering cuisine.

Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence, Maputo

With a pristine location on the prominent beachside avenue running along the Maputo seafront, the Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence boasts scenic views of the Indian Ocean. Less than 10 kilometres from Maputo city center and Maputo International Airport (MPM), the hotel is also near business hotspots such as the Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre.

Meetings and conferences

With nine conference rooms, and a beachfront location, it provides a magnificent setting for both business and social gatherings near local attractions.

The hotel also offers conferencing in its Residence building.

A divisible conference room covering 252-square-metres, three breakout rooms, and a 153-square-metre pre-function area provide an abundance of space for business gatherings or special events. All meeting rooms include climate control, free high-speed wireless internet access, and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment.

Hotel Cardoso

In the leafy museum neighbourhood of Maputo, the four-star Hotel Cardoso welcomes you to the perfect oasis for business and leisure travellers.

A one-of-a-kind hotel built by Commandant Cardoso, captain of the Lourenço Marques port. It has the most stunning aerial views of Maputo city and bay.

Meetings and conferences

Surrounded by lush gardens and modern facilities, the meeting venues deliver a unique sense of place. In every meeting room, you would find an ample supply of required amenities, from ceiling-mounted projectors to microphones, sound systems, air conditioning, and dimmer lights. And if you prefer the outdoors, the hotel can setup a meeting on its lush lawns.

Southern Sun Maputo

This hotel is the only on-the-beach hotel in the city, with grand surroundings of mosaicked floors and vaulted wooden ceilings, inspired by Maputo’s architectural past complemented by familiar and welcoming homely comforts like free uncapped Wi-Fi and big beds with ocean views.

Meetings and conferences evidence throughout the hotel. With ample and spacious areas, comfort and well-being are the priority, allowing satisfying and reinvigorating rest. The two bars of the Hotel Avenida ally socialising and a laid-back atmosphere. If you prefer outdoors, enjoy a snack on the Avenida Terrace, or the Páteo Avenida, an oasis amid the city of Maputo.

Blending beachfront location with business excellence, Southern Sun Maputo is a landmark hotel with venues for hosting everything from conferences to celebrations; Southern Sun Maputo is one of the leading venues in the city for small to mid-size meetings and special events.

On the rooftop, next to the outdoor swimming pool, you have a fantastic view overlooking the city and the sea, providing memorable moments.

Hotel Avenida

The five-star Hotel Avenida is in the heart of the city, located on one of the main avenues of Maputo.

The rooms reflect the modernity in evidence throughout the hotel. With ample and spacious areas, comfort and well-being are the priority, allowing satisfying and reinvigorating rest. The two bars of the Hotel Avenida ally socialising and a laid-back atmosphere. If you prefer outdoors, enjoy a snack on the Avenida Terrace, or the Páteo Avenida, an oasis amid the city of Maputo.

On the rooftop, next to the outdoor swimming pool, you have a fantastic view overlooking the city and the sea, providing memorable moments.

Meetings and conferences

Hotel Avenida has nine meeting rooms (including an interpretation booth), with free Wi-Fi. The outdoor zones are perfect for socialising and networking.

News flash:

Mozambique Convention Bureau

Mozambique is currently in the process of launching a Mozambique Convention Bureau with the assistance of Rick and Colette Taylor from The Business Tourism Company.

• A feasibility study to determine Maputo and Mozambique’s market readiness for the MICE market was completed.

• The National MICE strategy — is still to be finalised.

• The Business Tourism Company presented the strategy to the World Bank. The strategy has been well received, but is currently being tweaked. Furthermore, the implementation plan has to be finalised.

• The intention is to establish the Mozambique Convention Bureau as a separate division within INATUR. Staff will have to be appointed and deliver capacity building with the assistance of The Business Tourism Company, for the Bureau. Private sector buy-in in order to increase competitiveness. The implementation will probably happen in the second quarter of 2024.