Ouro accommodation sold out

With only a few days to go to the start of the festive season, all 161 accommodation establishments in Matutuine District, mostly in Ponta do Ouro, are fully booked. Tour operators meanwhile are expressing concern over crime and the state of the roads. Tourism in Ponta do Ouro beach is omnipresent, with visitors enjoying the sun, the crystal-clear waters and long walks barefoot on the white sand.

“Actually, we are already fully booked, 100% of the accommodation,” president of the Ponta do Ouro Tour Operators Association Selma Issufo told ‘O País’.

But, “Where there’s a will there’s a way”, and the Matutuine District government is working to identify alternatives, District Administrator Artur Muandula says. “This is the challenge, to continue to attract investment in tourism. There are several projects under way, especially in the coastal zone, to boost capacity. Accommodation is the big challenge, with the growth of tourism here in our district,” Muandula explained. Tour operators and government officials meanwhile met on Tuesday to discuss crime in the area. Travel agent Carolina Albasine was present at the meeting and stressed the importance of the authorities getting involved in addressing crime Ponta do Ouro as soon as possible, and PRM Commander General Bernardino Rafael said at the launch of operation ‘Khomale’ that patrolling in Ponta do Ouro would be reinforced. The opening of the Maputo-Katembe bridge and its connecting roads lifted Matutuíne’s relative isolation, giving the area a remarkable boost.