Since the days of its monarchy, Madagascar has welcomed visitors from all corners of the globe. Europeans, Asians, Africans – many have set foot on Malagasy soil in search of social advancement, a new way of life, fame, adventure, or simply to enjoy themselves. Since its first visitors, the island has welcomed missionaries on pilgrimages, teachers, nurses, adventurers and tourists. They live, settle and work all over the island. In this article, we will take a look at who today’s tourists in Madagascar are. We will tell you everything about their nationalities and how they are represented.

French: 1st place

It comes as no surprise that the first visitors to the big island were French. It is the nationality with the most citizens living in Africa and Madagascar.

French is the official language of Madagascar, so it is easy for French citizens to travel there. On the island, French-speaking visitors fall into two categories: tourists and members of the diaspora. Their favourite places to visit are the island of Nosy Be and the capital Antananarivo.

Many businesses on the island are owned by French nationals, and many French people work in Madagascar. In addition, many French people travel back and forth between France and the island on a daily basis to study, take holidays and work.

French tourists are generally described as proud, demanding, empathetic and humane. The French in Madagascar represent the image of France to the island’s inhabitants. Together with French-speaking institutions, they represent the imaginary image of what France is.

French tourists often travel in groups, with few French travellers travelling alone. Their preferred means of transport is the hire car.

English: ranked 2nd

Established on the island for at least as long as the French, the English are the second most common type of travellers encountered in Madagascar. Unlike the French, who settled and established a strong community, the English remained nomadic visitors throughout their travels in Madagascar. Although their works on the island are now part of Madagascar’s rich heritage (the Queen’s Palace, public facilities), there are no recognised Anglo-Saxon diasporas in Madagascar. Thanks to their historical presence, the English have a keen knowledge of the island and enjoy easy contact with the Malagasy people. Many English organisations work on the island.

English tourists and workers staying on the island are keen defenders of the environment. This is a trait that characterises them well.

Curious and involved in their cultural adaptation process, English visitors are noted for their concern for good manners. Among other things, the average length of a British tourist trip is two to three weeks, while temporary British residents very rarely stay for more than ten years. In addition to the physical presence of tourists and visitors, the United Kingdom has a wide range of intangible programmes that represent British action and proposals in Madagascar: scholarships, awards and support.

Germans: 3rd place

Germans are the third largest group of tourists in Madagascar. Although they did not arrive en masse until later, with the advent of modern transport, Germans caught up quickly, exploring Madagascar in large numbers shortly after the country became a republic.

From the late 1960s onwards, German visitors arrived and worked in Madagascar as part of bilateral relations for cooperation between Madagascar and Germany. Later, in 1990, German travellers no longer travelled for work, but came to Madagascar for tourism. Lemurs are the tourist attraction that interests German tourists the most. In Madagascar, German tourists travel in groups, with family or friends. They are known for being respectful of social distances and for their seriousness.

Chinese: 4th place

This is the fourth largest group of visitors to Madagascar. They have been coming since the end of the Second World War and can be divided into two types of travellers: those who have settled here and those who are tourists. Those who have settled arrived in waves and have taken up residence all over the island. These visitors have produced a large number of descendants who are now an integrated diaspora within the Madagascan population. As for tourists, it is since the 21st century that they have made Madagascar a destination that captivates them. They often travel there in groups or with friends. Among the various tourist sites in Madagascar, they are particularly fond of the south of the island.

As in many countries with a Chinese community, there is a Chinatown on the island, where you can find the latest goods produced by the ‘world’s factory’. The neighbourhood is located in the city centre of the capital.

On the island, the Chinese are represented by their diaspora and by the various restaurants that promote Chinese culinary culture. The Chinese government is involved in numerous public projects and in the exploitation of many of the island’s natural resources. The Chinese language is attracting increasing interest among Madagascans and is taught in dedicated centres.

Italian: 5th place

Ranked fifth among visitors to Madagascar, Italians are keen travellers who enjoy exploring the island. Travellers of Italian origin arrived in Madagascar in the 1960s for professional collaborations, and returned to Italy once their work was completed.

Subsequently, other Italians visited the island as tourists and invested in the industry. This Italian investment resulted in the acquisition of numerous hotel properties and a substantial increase in Italian tourists. In everyday life, Italian tourists are portrayed as conventional and fond of Italian products, promoting Italian menus in Madagascar. Italians are also very fond of the island of Nosy Be, which is one of their favourite destinations in Madagascar. Very normative, Italian tourists are known for being seriously expressive and emotional.

Italians have several public support projects in cooperation with the European Union in Madagascar (agricultural twinning, scholarships, energy projects). These initiatives represent Italy’s image and involvement in the minds of Madagascans.

Italians who have their main residences in Madagascar stay there for extended periods (more than 20 years) and often return to Italy at the end of their time in Madagascar. Like Italian tourists, they are known to be very patriotic.

Spanish: 6th place

Spanish tourists rank sixth among the most frequent visitors to the island. Although few Spanish people live on the island, Spanish tourists are known for their friendly hospitality. They often travel in groups and enjoy a wide range of activities.

Culturally, Spain is represented by its language, which is studied in secondary schools.

American: 7th place

Americans are the 7th most frequent visitors to Madagascar. American visitors to Madagascar include both residents and tourists. Residents are often workers employed by international organisations on the island. Tourists are solo travellers, couples, or groups. They enjoy the island’s forests and its rocky ‘Tsingy’ walls, which are their favourite destinations. Americans are known to be very generous tourists. They are also well-equipped with photographic equipment.

On the island, Americans are represented by their tourists, their residents, and their culture (films, music, sports). American visitors are generally very attached to good manners, even puritanical, but they are also quite adventurous and enjoy meeting the locals.

Americans began visiting Madagascar en masse after the bursting of the internet bubble in the 2000s.

Comorians: 8th place

The 8th most frequent visitors to Madagascar, Comorians are familiar explorers of the big island. Since the days of royalty, Madagascan and Comorian adventurers have been travelling between the two destinations. Comorian travellers include tourists, traders and students. Some of them have settled on the big island after their crossing. Others remain connected to both countries.

As a general rule, Comorian visitors integrate well with the Madagascan population. They can be found in the warm areas of the west of the island, which are geographically closer to their territory and share a very similar climate. The Comorians are represented by their diasporas in Madagascar and, like the Madagascans, are fond of roots, sweet potatoes, yams and manioc.

Danish ranking: 9th

The 9th largest community visiting Madagascar, the Danes are visitors who are attached to the island. They are identified by their prominent Caucasian features, blond hair and light eyes, and strong build. They are known for being extremely flexible and good communicators. Their favourite destinations include the south of the island and the capital. They are mainly tourists, with very few Danes choosing to settle in Madagascar. They are travellers who spend varying lengths of time on the island, usually more than two weeks. Danes often travel in small groups. They are curious, expressive, sociable and often express joy in their interactions. They are popular tourists in Madagascar.

Canada: 10th place

Last but not least, Canadians are in 10th place in the rankings. Chronologically, they are among the last nations to travel to Madagascar in large numbers, with Canadian tourists arriving at the beginning of the 21st century. Often independent travellers, they enjoy discovering local areas and are keen to seek out tourist experiences. They attach considerable importance to value for money. They are mainly young tourists; Canadians who travel to Madagascar are of working age. They represent Canada through their dynamism and enthusiasm. Few Canadians live permanently in Madagascar. Their main interest when visiting Madagascar is lemurs.