Malawi government has admitted that delays to open the President’s Hotel in Lilongwe are costing it millions as the facility is still idle a year after construction and official opening was done.

Speaking in an interview after touring some tourist attractions in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Minister of Tourism Wildlife and Culture Rachel Mazombwe Zulu said the process of identifying an operator has taken time, rendering the hotel a white elephant.

“I must admit that we are losing millions… however, I must hasten to say that the process of identifying an operator will be through within two months and the nation will be told which company has been given the license to run the hotel,” said Zulu.

She said the operator will also run the 14 state-of-the-art presidential villas.

“We want to appoint an operator who will run the properties in a professional manner so that local and international tourists are happy with the services on offer. This country has a lot of potential as regards tourism and the hotel and the villas will greatly help us attract more people,” said Zulu.

She said the presidential villas will be open to both local and international tourists.

The minister could not be drawn to disclose names of the companies who are bidding to run the hotel, but said there are four.

Zulu also disclosed plans by government to fence Kamuzu Memorial Park as well as the National Memorial Park.

“We want the places to be self-sustained; hence, the decision to build the fences so that tourists pay a little something. We will also build a vintage showroom where vehicles of the former head of State will be displayed so that people know what kind of lifestyle Kamuzu had,” said Zulu.

Director of culture in the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Culture, Elizabeth Gomani Chindebvu, and director of tourism, Isaac Katopola, who accompanied the Minister on the tour said, the idea of constructing fences is in tandem with what happens in other countries where national heritage sites are not visited free of charge.