COTUR and CSRECM sign Memorandum of Understanding to promote tourism and culture in Maputo City

COTUR and the Council of State Representation Services in Maputo City (CSRECM) signed a memorandum of understanding this Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at FACIM, establishing a common agenda for the promotion of Maputo as the country's capital and tourist destination. The document was initialled by the Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of COTUR, Noor-Momade, and the Secretary of State for the City of Maputo, Vicente Joaquim Imede, formalizing a public-private cooperation with the ambition of having a direct impact on the ground.

The agreement is presented as a milestone in mobilizing efforts to position Maputo on the regional and international tourism map, with a focus on qualifying operators, improving the socio-economic conditions of the community and enhancing the natural and cultural heritage. As with everything at COTUR, the logic is pragmatic: combine skills - institutional and business - to turn potential into product, product into demand and demand into local income.

In terms of general objectives, the memorandum provides for technical and cultural cooperation between the parties, focused on three fronts: consistent tourism promotion of the city, training of agents in the sector and protection/enhancement of its heritage. 

The social axis emerges as transversal, recognizing that tourism is only sustainable if it generates tangible benefits for those who live and work in the region.

Among the agreed actions is the organization of joint tourism information campaigns at city level, with a special focus on visitors from Inhaca Island. At the same time, COTUR and CSRECM are committed to jointly organizing and participating in national and international fairs to promote Mozambique and, in particular, the city of Maputo, strengthening institutional and commercial presence in target markets.

The cultural dimension is also central. The memorandum includes the creation of art centers in the neighborhoods of the municipal districts as a means of disseminating tourism, arts and culture, bringing tourism promotion closer to the communities and fostering visitation circuits with a local identity. It also provides for training programs for agents and operators in the areas of hospitality and tourism, raising standards of service and bringing them into line with the demands of today's visitor.

On an operational level, the agreement establishes coordination and support for the management of agents' and operators' activities - from the organization of seminars and conferences to transport and communication logistics, including accommodation and festivals - in order to give scale and predictability to the city's tourist calendar. It is also planned to jointly draw up a marketing plan and a portfolio of Maputo itineraries, essential tools for guiding investment, communication and sales.

Since COTUR is internationally recognized for its work in marketing and strategy, the identity of the Maputo destination was not forgotten. The parties agreed to design a “Maputo City Tourism Flag”, an initiative that will boost and standardize the city's brand, giving rise to promotional material aimed at different audiences. 

In terms of institutional strengthening, the memorandum includes a capacity-building program for CSRECM officials and technicians in the formulation of strategic tourism plans, as well as ongoing technical assistance in the design of these plans for the city.

For COTUR, the agreement consolidates a long-standing line of action, a path trodden by Noor-Momade since the late 1990s: the active participation of the private sector - and tourism and travel in particular - in Mozambique's economic development. This signing at FACIM gives stage and urgency to that agenda. 

Now comes the work phase: turning commitments into timetables, setting up joint teams and defining success metrics to accurately measure Maputo's progress as a competitive and inclusive destination.