On the evening of November 9, at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels, Mozambique was crowned Best Tourism Investment Destination at the World Tourism Awards 2026. The honor, accepted by Secretary of State for Tourism Fredson Bacar, signals a turning point for a country long known for its coastline, islands, and wildlife. But this award is about more than pretty beaches. It's about a nation betting its future on travel.
The award comes from the World Tourism Forum Institute, which also handed out 21 other prizes that night. Mozambique was recognized twice, with Standup Mídia winning Best Social Media Strategy in Tourism for its Mozambique Tourism Summit campaign. Last year, the country took home Best Sustainable Destination. Now it's winning over investors, and that's a shift worth watching.
President Daniel Chapo, in office since January 2025, has made tourism a priority to diversify an economy long dependent on gas, coal, and other extractive industries. His message is blunt: "Gas will one day run out, tourism will never run out." The government's Five-Year Programme for 2025 to 2029 aims to raise tourism's share of GDP to 6%. To get there, they've created the National Agency for Tourism Development and Investment (ANDITUR) and a Southern Corridor Special Tourism Economic Zone in Inhambane province, which is being developed as the national tourism hub. An electronic visa platform is rolling out, along with a "Visa Gold" scheme for foreign investors.
This confidence is already turning into concrete projects. In September 2025, President Chapo launched the US$140 million project for Aman's first resort in Sub-Saharan Africa, at the Karingani Game Reserve. Singita is planning new eco-lodges in the Bazaruto Archipelago. The Vilankulo waterfront, an airport expansion, and the development of Massingir airfield are improving access. The numbers are striking: at the second Mozambique Tourism Summit in Vilankulo earlier this month, the President said arrivals of tourists and investors had risen by more than 254% year on year.
But the government isn't just counting visitors. They presented 40 to 50 tourism projects to investors, 25 of them ready for financing. Bacar's team has begun work on a National Tourism Strategy and an Inhambane Master Plan, with World Bank support, and has drawn up a national MICE strategy. Mozambique also debuted at IMEX Frankfurt, a leading events industry trade show. The common thread is bringing local communities into the tourism value chain. As Bacar said in Brussels, tourism cannot be developed "without people, without community."
For travelers, this means Mozambique is becoming easier to visit and more rewarding to explore. The new visa system, the airport upgrades, and the investment in Inhambane are all signs that the country is serious about welcoming visitors. The two nations betting big on tourism to reshape their futures includes Mozambique, and the results are already visible.
If you're looking for a destination that's off the beaten path but on the rise, Mozambique deserves your attention. The beaches are still there, but now there's more: conservation, culture, gastronomy, and golf. The 2026 Responsible Tourism Awards may have rewritten the playbook, but Mozambique is writing its own chapter. And with the real tourism battle being about getting there, the country is investing in connectivity to make it easier than ever.
So, what does this award mean for you? It means a destination that's serious about tourism, with a plan that includes communities, sustainability, and investment. It means more flights, better infrastructure, and a richer experience. Mozambique is open, and it's ready to show the world what it has to offer.
