With its beautiful lakes, majestic mountains, lush forests and a rich culture, Malawi is one of Africa’s hidden tourism gems.
From the sandy beaches of Lake Malawi to the misty peaks of Mulanje Mountain the country is rich in experiences waiting to be explored.
While its beauty is undeniable, getting the world and even Malawians themselves to appreciate and invest in local tourism remains a challenge.
But one young woman determined to be part of the change that can transform the local tourism industry. She is Olivia Masonga.
A model, hiker and Miss Culture Malawi, she is proving that modelling can be a tool to promote the country’s tourism industry locally and internationally.
Later this year, Masonga will represent Malawi at the Miss Tourism Africa finals in Nigeria from September 20 to October 3 where she hopes to put the Warm Heart of Africa on the map.
Her journey started earlier this year when she was selected among the top five finalists at the Miss Culture Malawi pageant, a platform that chooses queens for different international assignments.
“Since being selected to represent Malawi in Nigeria, there are a few things that have been done so far. We are in discussions with several big hotels and tour brands to collectively promote Malawi’s tourism at an international level,” she said.
The 26-year-old postgraduate student at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources says she has also used her membership of Lilongwe Hikers Club to promote tourism.
“As a club, we organise and participate in local tours to showcase the country’s scenic landscape, including mountains and forests. We want to raise more awareness about tourist sites,” said Masonga.
Through social media and partnerships with local tourism brands, she is helping to bring visibility to places many that Malawians have never been to.
“We are doing terrible as a country as most Malawians have never been to places such as Lake Malawi or Mulanje Mountain. There’s need for more collaborations and sensitisation to teach people about our own tourist sites,” she said.
Part of Masonga’s recent work includes networking at the Malawi International Tourism Expo from April 24 to 27 at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe where she engaged travel agencies and international visitors. These efforts, she says, are key to attracting attention and investment to the country’s tourism sector.
Being a model and Miss Tourism Malawi crown holder, she believes that models have a bigger role than looking good.
“Models are key in the tourism industry because they carry the face of the country. If I am going out to represent Malawi, I am representing the Warm Heart of Africa,” she said.
However, her path has not been smooth. Masonga has had to deal with social media negativity and cyberbullying, an issue she says is worsened by lack of national pride.
“As a country, we don’t believe in each other. Cyberbullying is real, but I have supportive people around me and I know myself. You don’t come this far to let people who don’t even know you define your life. We just have to rise above it,” she said.
Despite these challenges, the tourism queen remains focused on balancing her modelling and academic career. Her message to young girls is simple but powerful: Believe in yourself and pursue education.
“I want girls to believe in themselves and pursue education. On international platforms, it’s not just about beauty, but also about intelligence and the ability to represent your country with pride,” she said.
As she prepares for the Miss Tourism Africa stage, Masonga dreams of greater things not just for herself, but for the local tourism sector. She hopes to see more creative ideas such as having traditional dancers with their own pavilions at tourism expos to showcase the country’s diverse cultures.
Her modelling journey began in 2018 when she was crowned Miss Bunda while doing her bachelor’s degree.
