The traditional influx of holidaymakers to the north of Madagascar is slow to materialize this year. Transporters, tourism professionals, and economic operators are noting an unusual decline in visitor numbers.
In Antsiranana, the holiday season lacks its usual vibrancy. While the summer period is typically marked by a significant surge of visitors to the northern region, transporters are reporting a significant drop in passenger numbers this year.
At bus stations, the contrast is striking. National transport vehicles remain parked for days waiting to gather enough passengers to depart, an unusual situation for this time of year. Industry professionals describe a slowdown in activity, far from the seasons where departures followed one another and demand sometimes exceeded the capacity of transporters.
The decline in attendance is also explained by the absence of large religious gatherings that usually animated the city. For the past five years, Antsiranana regularly hosted church congresses or “Zaikabe,” attracting thousands of participants. This year, no such large-scale event is currently scheduled, depriving the city of a significant flow of visitors.
At the Kofmad cooperative, the situation is clear. According to its manager, only one vehicle currently handles daily connections to Antsiranana. The main bookings recorded primarily concern the faithful traveling to participate in their church general assemblies scheduled for August.
Beyond these cyclical factors, a climate of fear seems to have taken hold. According to several testimonies collected from transporters, the resurgence of kidnappings and attempted abductions reported in recent months in various regions of the country is strongly influencing family travel decisions.
“Many of our regular customers explain that they prefer to give up traveling with their loved ones for fear of their safety,” says Abdou, a ticket agent at the Kofmad Antsiranana cooperative.
This concern now extends beyond long-distance travel. Even city travel requires more caution. Bajaj users are doubling their vigilance, while recommendations for caution are multiplying on social media and in neighborhoods.
Added to this anxiety is the spread of numerous rumors, often relayed without verification, which maintain a climate of psychosis. For some parents, the fear is such that the threat of “child kidnappers” is sometimes used to dissuade the youngest from straying from home. This anxiety-inducing atmosphere is reflected in a decrease in attendance at leisure areas, particularly merry-go-rounds and bumper cars.
On the beaches, vigilance is also the order of the day. Parents accompanying their children now keep a constant eye on them, illustrating a growing concern for their safety.
While no official statistics are yet available to precisely measure the impact of this situation, transport professionals are already observing the first effects of a climate of insecurity that weighs on household mobility and, consequently, on the economic activity of northern Madagascar.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-28 06:08:57 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/region-diana-laffluence-des-vacanciers.html