Bloomberg: Mauritius Needs More Air Flights

A November 23 (2011) report from Bloomberg highlights the need for more flights to Mauritius to keep up with burgeoning hotel capacity. Bloomberg's information comes from the Association des Hoteliers et Restaurateurs de l'Ile Maurice, the leading trade organization for the Mauritian hotel and restaurant industry. According to the Association, the 2011 occupancy rate for Mauritian hotels will finish at about 65%. However, that's expected to increase in the coming years if flights are increased in line with the ever-growing number of available beds.

The association's chief executive officer, Jocelyn Kwok, noted that bed capacity has increased 15% over the last four years while flight capacity has fallen by 2%. Part of the disparity can be attributed to protectionist policies used in recent years by Air Mauritius to retain an almost exclusive lock on flights coming in and off the island. But at start of the year Air Mauritius seemingly abandoned that philosophy and has since worked to open up Mauritian skies to other airlines.

In fact, as reported earlier this week, British Airways has transferred the hub of its pleasure travel business from Heathrow to Gatwick, and is increasing flights to many of its most sought-after destinations, including Mauritius. Furthermore, the airline just announced a flight schedule change which will allow tourists visiting Mauritius an extra day on the island. More flights could be added early next year as well. In addition, Air Mauritius noted that a prominent Asian airline, which it hasn't yet identified, will also be adding new flights in early 2012.

With plane seat capacity growing tourist officials expect hotel bookings to increase through 2013. They are especially excited about the industry's new emphasis on Mauritius family hotels as a way to promote the island ad more than just a romantic getaway for beach weddings and honeymoons. The Mauritian tourist industry is actively working on expanding family-based holidays through more activities, family-friendly accommodations, and even new construction projects currently under way.

Mauritius is focusing their family-friendly effort on activities that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. At the heart of those activities is the island's wide range of water sports which include everything from parasailing and kite surfing to deep-sea fishing and diving. The golfing sector has even gotten in on the act by developing family focused golf holidays which provide instruction and tee times for golfers of all ages and abilities. And if you know anything about golf in Mauritius, the island has some of the most spectacular courses in the world.

Mauritius leads the way in Indian Ocean travel primarily because they are proactive in developing both their brand and natural environment. If the nation's hotel and restaurant sector are correct in their assessments, the next two years could be extremely profitable for the Mauritian tourism industry. That would be great news for everyone involved.

If you're looking for holiday packages at Mauritius family hotels contact Mauritius Holidays Direct, the specialist holiday company based in the UK.

Economic Freedom Stimulates Mauritian Tourism Sector

Silicon India has just released its list of top 10 countries with the most economic freedom; a list which has garnered some interesting results. As far as Mauritius is concerned, it ranked first among 46 countries in Africa and the sub-Saharan region, as well as extremely high among all developed countries around the world. This economic freedom has spurred private sector growth, foreign and national investment, and confidence in both the tourism industry and arrivals coming to the island.

Central to their success is the fact that the Mauritian government plays very little direct role in economic development while keeping taxes and regulations as competitive as possible. Rather than trying to control markets through government fiat, Mauritius tends to allow the private sector to manage the open market system. Lest anybody disagree with their philosophy, it's hard to argue with the results. Mauritius has the strongest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of the strongest economies in the world, on a per-capita basis.

This can be seen throughout the Mauritian tourism industry in terms of the amount of new investment continuing to flow into the island. Among some of the developments over the last couple of years is a strong push by resort operators to make Mauritius the golfing capital of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius golf holidays are not only allowing arrivals to play on excellent championship-level courses, but many are developing complete packages which include instruction for golfers of all ages and skill levels.

What's more quite a few of the resorts are working together to offer golf packages which allow guests to play multiple courses during their stay. And the island has managed to land two major golf tournaments in 2011 that combine the best pros and their amateur counterparts. Much of this success may not have been possible had the Mauritian government insisted on continuing its previous philosophies of government-owned business and tight state regulation.

Another burgeoning sector in Mauritian tourism is the family holiday. More and more resorts are adopting family-friendly activities and renovating some of their guest rooms to make them practical for families. Things will only get better with a very ambitious construction project that has been undertaken in the northern part of the island; a project which will develop a brand-new, all-inclusive entertainment complex to include at least two new hotels and a theme park. The 10-year project is designed to be extremely family-friendly as a means of attracting new visitors and keeping them in the region.

Most Europeans know Mauritius for her stunning beaches and gorgeous tropical weather. But if not for a concerted effort by the Mauritian government to allow the economy to expand on its own, much of what we enjoy might not otherwise be accessible. Thankfully, free enterprise reigns in Mauritius, making it the perfect environment for a thriving tourism industry.

Mauritius golf holidays are just one of the many different packages available from Mauritius holidays direct, the specialist holiday company based in the UK.