![[Malawi] Sunbird Tourism Limited picks Africa Parks to advance eco-tourism agenda](Sunbird.jpg)
[Malawi] Sunbird Tourism Limited picks Africa Parks to advance eco-tourism agenda
Listed hospitality company Sunbird Tourism Limited has entered into a 10-year contract with African Parks Malawi for Thawale Tented Lodge and Mwembezi Restaurant in Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa.
The contract is effective February 1 this year. This development brings to eight, the number of hotels operated under the Sunbird brand.
Sunbird Tourism Limited Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Maureen Kachingwe in a press statement expressed happiness that after months of negotiations, the two parties have agreed to sign the contract for the two hospitality places.
Kachingwe—who is also the acting Chief Executive Officer of Sunbird—claimed they are a market leader in the hospitality industry, well known for superior services, standards and customer cohorts in Malawi.
She, therefore, said it came as a no surprise that African Parks Malawi chose to partner with them in its drive to uplift its hospitality service delivery in Majete Wildlife Reserve.
Sunbird Tourism Limited Board Chairman, Phillip Madinga said the signed contract opens a long and mutually beneficial business relationship between the two.
He said eco-tourism market is their major component of the strategic plan, and that they will continue to seek opportunities in the sector.
“We are excited at Sunbird because this is the new area where we are moving on to. It’s in line with our strategic plan because we had set ourselves two years ago to go into the eco-tourism area and the signing of this agreement just means that aspiration we have, and we are looking forward to long term relationship with African Parks Malawi,” said Madinga.
African Parks Malawi Chairman, Bob Renshaw said the drive to engage Sunbird will help the company to expand tourism visitation at the place.
“Majete has provided for safe haven for the big five, but we needed to expand tourism visitation. We are experts in conservation and we don’t run hospitality area so the link with sunbird is to use their expertise to enhance the number of visitors to the park,” said Renshaw.
Sunbird Tourism Limited, which was listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange in 2002, has a market share of 33 percent in Malawi.
