Incoming tide

Mozambican tourist hub enjoys growing influence

- Peter Sullivan

The tiny country town of Vilanculos has been the jump-off spot for visiting the Indian Ocean islands of Mozambique’s Bazaruto archipelago for 500 years. Now, the little town, like Topsy, ‘just growed’. It is getting bigger and better at attracting visitors itself.

It has a new tourism authority that aims to move the town this year from ‘Village Class A’ in the country’s bureaucracy to ‘City’ – a big jump. It expects to double in population every 10 years, and half the population is under 18 years old. Fishing, agriculture and tourism provide base income for the village, but it is tourism that is expanding.

Third jump’s a charm

Vilanculos is a major beneficiary of Europe’s fashionable triple-jump offering: city, bush and beach. Like most things, tourism follows fashion. Tourists are a major money-spinner for South Africa and Mozambique, so wise providers follow industry trends.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show suggests Transylvania is “just a jump to the left, and a step to the ri-ai-aight”. Tourists to the south of Africa are now being offered three jumps, all in one holiday, in a loop, making airfares less expensive. City? Cape Town. Bush? Kruger or Sabi Sabi or MalaMala. Beach? That’s a tough one, but becoming fashionable for the last leg of the triple jump is Vilanculos. So, you fly Europe direct to Cape Town, then to Nelspruit, on to Vilanculos direct, and back to Europe via Johannesburg.