MADAGASCAR IN THE TOP 10 COUNTRIES TO VISIT ACCORDING TO FORBES MAGAZINE
Forbes, the famous American business magazine ranks Madagascar 6th out of 10 countries to visit this year. Its exceptional wealth of biodiversity has convinced several travel experts to include the Big Island in the list of Top Destinations this year.
Forbes magazine honours Madagascar as a destination. In its ranking of the top ten countries to visit this year, this leading business magazine ranks the Big Island sixth, behind Ethiopia in fifth and ahead of Mongolia in seventh. This ranking is the opinion of several travel experts, including Tour Operators. According to the magazine, the latter are conquered by the endemic fauna and flora that the fourth largest island in the world has to seduce tourists. Norman Howe, CEO of a Canadian travel company, commented in the magazine that "This wonderful country has so much biodiversity to discover, both in terms of natural beauty and unique landscapes. For flora and fauna, with more than 90% of Madagascar's endemic fauna, this is unbeatable.
Some comments following this article raise, however, the need to strengthen security measures on the Big Island. Interviewed recently by a private television channel, Jean Brunelle Razafintsiandraofa, Minister of Tourism, announced the forthcoming establishment of the "Dina" in the regions and the "andrimasom-pokonolona" or village vigilance committee to combat urban insecurity. This measure would allow tourists to travel to the places of their choice. This year promises to be an active year for the Tourism sector. During his visit to China in November 2018, the responsible minister concluded with the Chinese authorities to welcome 50,000 Chinese tourists this year. In addition to China, France and Turkey also intend to double the number of tourists who will come to Madagascar. Local actors have their work cut out for them.


The diversity of flora in Madagascar
A simple glance at the figures is enough to determine the fascination of Madagascar’s flora: About 85 percent of all plants originating from Madagascar are found nowhere else in the world. There are more than 1,000 different species of orchids in Madagascar, with researchers assuming that the actual number of orchids native to Madagascar is actually much higher. The other specimens have simply not yet been discovered. For 350 years, researchers have been exploring and systematizing Madagascar’s fascinating flora. Especially at the beginning of these expeditions in the 17th century, many researchers were so fascinated and overwhelmed by the Malagasy fauna and flora that they often spoke of curiosities when they later described the wonders they experienced there. After all, no one had ever seen animals and plants from Madagascar from outside before.
Medicinal plants in Madagascar
The Malagasy plant world is also a source of knowledge for all those interested in medicine: many plants are regularly used in traditional Malagasy medicine. This is the case, for example, of aloe vera plants which, with their milky white juice, are often used to help relieve skin diseases. Many other plants in Madagascar are currently being examined by Western doctors and pharmaceutical companies to extract various active substances that could be useful against various diseases. However, research in this field is still in its infancy because the Malagasy plant world has not been discovered for so long and is not yet fully developed.
The threat to flora in Madagascar
Madagascar’s flora is so rich and partly as old as almost nowhere else in the world. Nevertheless, this abundance has been threatened for many years. Above all, the deforestation of the tropical forest has made the local ecosystem very difficult. Today, only about 20 percent of Madagascar is covered by the original primary forest. This corresponds to an area of approximately 120,000 square kilometres. The extraction of arable land and the clearing of trees for charcoal are the two most important causes of the decline of Madagascar’s vital forests. The overexploitation of so-called precious woods has also contributed to reducing the tree population in Madagascar. Although various efforts are currently being made to preserve the remaining rainforest in Madagascar, these measures are associated with considerable costs and efforts. Madagascar’s growing tourism can function in this respect as a possible source of money and thus also contribute to the preservation of this fantastic and unique plant world. If environmental protection in Madagascar is not intensified and extended in the coming years, many of the island’s unique plants could disappear. And this could mean that many species, which have not even been discovered yet, can never be systematized and catalogued. So if you are planning a holiday in Madagascar and perhaps want to spend your honeymoon in Madagascar, then you should definitely visit the island’s various nature reserves and national parks. You will find a unique range of plants and animals that you have never seen before. Take a look at the nature tours we offer in this context.