Tanzania Tourists Board director named among top 100 women CEOs in Africa

Tanzania Tourists Board (TTB) managing director Ms. Devota Mdachi.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Tourists Board (TTB) managing director Ms. Devota Mdachi has been recognized in the list of top 100 women CEOs in Africa for good performance by Reset Global People in partnership with Pulse and Avance Media.

In a statement released by Reset, Global People states that the inaugural list of the top 100 women CEOs in Africa, a ranking that highlights and recognizes the accomplishments of women CEOs from across 24 countries in the continent.

According to CEO of Reset Global People, Kwame Opoku said the nomination of these distinguished women is in relation to their works and accomplishments as leaders of their team which continues to inspire the next generation of women CEOs in Africa and across the world in alignment with SDGs Goal 5 and 10.

Detailing the criteria used in coming up with the list, Avance Media managing director Prince Akpah, mentioned that the list highlights profit, impact and sustainability and the overall influence of the individual women over their sector, industry, and community as a whole.

With representation from 24 countries, the list features women who are noted to have broken the glass ceiling from across diverse sectors, making a name and case for women leaders on the continent.

Speaking to The Citizen on Monday, December 16, Ms. Mdachi said, “I believe they have chosen me among top 100 due to the organization that I am currently leading due to its fact that is very important to the Tanzanian economy,” 

NAMIBIA, TANZANIA INK AGREEMENTS TARGETING TOURISM, ART, CULTURE AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Namibia and Tanzania agreed to revive the Tanzania-Namibia Joint Commission for Cooperation to boost trade and investments in the two countries, according to a report from NCA in Tanzania.

The revival of the joint commission for cooperation which had been dormant for the past 20 years was made at the end of the 2nd session of the Tanzania-Namibia Joint Commission for Cooperation in Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The two countries signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on tourism, art, culture and youth development.

Palamagamba Kabudi, Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, said the revival of the commission for the joint cooperation marked a new chapter toward improving trade and investments between the two countries.

Kabudi said the activation of the commission will invigorate bilateral relations and friendship between the two countries.

“We should now do more to attract trade and investments between our countries,” said Kabudi, adding that there was huge potential in investments in pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, tourism, and mining.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, said the revival of the commission will enable the two countries to work closely in addressing challenges hindering socio-economic development.

“With the revival of the commission, Namibia and Tanzania will continue to grow from strength to strength,” she said.

Trump nominates new American Ambassador to Tanzania: Spearheading tourism

United States President Donald Trump named then nominated a new Ambassador to Tanzania, after nearly 3 years of the US Embassy in Tanzania’s commercial capital of Dar es Salaam running without an appointed ambassador.

Trump nominated Dr. Don J. Wright of Virginia as his new envoy to Tanzania. The White House announced the nomination of Dr. Wright on September 30 of this year. He is set to be vetted by the US Congress and Senate before taking up his post in Tanzania. When confirmed, Dr. Wright will succeed Mark Bradley Childress who served as US ambassador to Tanzania from May 22, 2014, to October 25, 2016.

After taking over his new position in Dar es Salaam, the new US ambassador is expected to spearhead economic diplomacy between Tanzania and US tourism – the leading economic sector in which Tanzania is looking for an American partnership. The United States is the second of high-class tourists visiting Tanzania every year. Over 50,000 Americans visit Tanzania every year.

Up until now, the US Embassy in Tanzania’s commercial capital of Dar es Salaam is under the Senior Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Dr. Inmi Patterson who has been Chargé d’Affaires of the mission since June 2017.

Dr. Wright is a career Senior Executive Service (SES) member and is currently working in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the United States.

Reports from the US State Department said that Dr. Wright developed and implemented the National Action Plan to Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections and Healthy People 2020, the US’ framework for disease prevention and health promotion initiatives.

His career at HHS includes service as acting Assistant Secretary for Health and acting Executive Director of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

He received his BA at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, and his MD at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. He received an MPH at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa. He was honored by the American College of Preventive Medicine in 2019.

The United States is the leading donor to the development of health services in Tanzania, mostly contagious tropical diseases and HIV AIDS, among other diseases, including malaria.

While in Tanzania, Mr. Childress will oversee, among other political and economic issues, the US support to Tanzania in areas of health, human rights, and wildlife conservation.

The United States is the leading donor to Tanzania in health projects targeting malaria eradication, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention, safe-motherhood, and health education programs.

Tanzania is among African countries doomed with tropical and communicable diseases including the recently-diagnosed dengue fever outbreak which had hit several parts of this African nation.

With budget constraints in health services, Tanzania depends on donor support, mostly from the United States, Britain, Germany, and Scandinavian states to finance health projects. Wildlife conservation is the other area which the US government has committed to supporting Tanzania for the last few years. America has been on the frontline to assist Tanzania in anti-poaching campaigns aimed to save African elephants and other endangered species from extinction from poaching.

The US government has also been supporting Tanzanian and other African nations in fighting international terrorism and piracy in the Indian Ocean.

Bleak Future For Tanzania Small Tour Operators As Tax Regime Bites

Many small-scale companies in the tourism and hospitality sector in Tanzania are facing a bleak future as they are finding it difficult to comply with the tax regime.

Players say the Value Added Tax (VAT) in particular, is likely to kick-out the SMEs in the tourism and hospitality business if the Tanzania government doesn’t revisit its administration.

Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and Hotels Association of Tanzania (HAT) say many of their members are concerned with the VAT treatment of deposits or advance payment in the tourism business.

“Majority members were finding it very hard to work out the accounting complexities of paying VAT on deposits,” TATO CEO, Sirili Akko said in Arusha.

He added: “Smaller tour operators and hoteliers don’t necessarily have access to high-level finance staff and therefore were at a loss as to how to deal with the issue in a compliant manner.”

Sector players add that though it makes no difference to the total amount collected by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), it vastly increases the complexity of the accounting and the difficulty of the administration of this for both the companies and the revenue authority.

“It is a widely held belief that clear and straightforward tax regimes help revenue authorities to maximize compliance, as well as helping to increase the tax base by encouraging further investment,” Akko explains.

The TATO and HAT members meeting agreed to set up a technical committee to clarify the challenges and prepare a plan to meet with the Ministry of Finance to agree a way forward that would ensure that payment and administration of VAT are as straight forward as possible.

“Both TATO and HAT can then educate and help all of their members to be as compliant as possible,” said HAT CEO, Ms. Nuralisa Karamagi.

“The majority of players in the tourism and hospitality sector consider the provision of section 15 of the VAT Act, 2014 to be problematic when receipts of deposits trigger it,” Dr. Deogratius Mahangila who undertook the study notes.

First, he says, a deposit in the tourism sector indicates that the client is committed to traveling and therefore, the operator has to confirm the need for accommodation, transfers, flights, and vehicles with suppliers and the suppliers ought to reserve the space for these bookings.

According to the respondents’ opinions, the pre-payment is not a consideration for the supply, as a deposit is used to secure space on behalf of a customer—typically accommodation, vehicles or seats on airplanes.

“It is a commitment as these spaces are limited in supply and therefore require prior booking,” Dr. Mahangila says, adding: “Typically, any deposit made will be deducted from the final payment due, but the exact nature of the service can and does change after a pre-payment has been made.”

Indeed, deposits are not income. The tourism sectors essentially hold this money in trust for their client for the future service and therefore the money remaining after the service is rendered, becomes income for tour operators.

The government had in December 2017 reviewed the Tanzania Tourism business License popularly known as Tala to attract local SMEs in the formal sector in a bid to expand its tax base.

Before the government’s decision, many briefcase firms clandestinely provided services to tourists to evade tax and often to con their customers at the expense of the country’s tourism image.

Tanzania Tourism rated 2nd in Sadc Bloc

Arusha. Tanzania trails South Africa only in the share of the tourism market in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) bloc.

South Africa tops both in the tourist arrivals and earnings, beating other southern Africa states which dominated the market for so long. Recent statistics indicate that 13 percent of about 24 million international arrivals to the region annually head to Tanzania.

South Africa, Africa, and the bloc’s biggest economy attract 47 percent to the tourists visiting the 16 nation bloc.

“South Africa is also the leading source market for tourists to Tanzania ahead of other Sadc member states,” said Mr. Philip Chitaunga, a senior official in the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Last year, there were 54,000 visitors from South Africa to Tanzania, 47,000 from Zimbabwe,  45,000 (Malawi) and 30,000 from Zambia. Mr. Chitaunga revealed this here on Thursday in a media brief ahead of next week’s joint meeting of Sadc’s ministers of Environment, Natural Resources, and Tourism.

The five-day meeting will assess the development of the tourism, wildlife and forestry sectors as well as a lay strategy for the region’s ‘Blue Economy’.

He said in 2016 tourism accounted for 8.2 percent of total regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which was  $56.3 billion then. In the same year, the sector and allied hospitality industry segments generated 6.3 million jobs which were 6.1 percent of all jobs in the region.

Earnings from tourism also for 2016 amounted to $18.3 billion equivalent to 9.1 percent of the total regional exports from Sadc. Mr. Chitaunga, who is an assistant director in the ministry’s Tourism Department, added that Tanzania was second to South Africa in both tourism arrivals and receipts.

While South Africa generated more than $2.5 billion from tourist arrivals in 2016, Tanzania recording earnings amounting to $1.7 billion. In the share of the Sadc tourism market, second-placed Tanzania is closely followed by Mauritius (10 percent), Zimbabwe (nine percent).

Other countries on the top of the tourism market in the bloc are Mozambique, Botswana, Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia, and Lesotho. Unlike Tanzania, Mauritius and South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, and Madagascar have bigger shared of arrivals than receipts. Botswana and Zambia have an almost equal share of tourism arrivals and earnings, according to statistics for 2016.

Tourist Drowns in Marriage bid Scene.

A tourist named Steven Weber drowned to death over the weekend, when attempting to make a dramatic proposal to his lover, who was put up in the underwater hotel at Pemba Island.

The incident occurred in Konde area and the grieved bride, Kenesha Antoine stated that her partner died while trying to pull off an underwater proposal, a video going viral online shows Steven Weber swimming up to the window of an underwater resort, with a written proposal.

He dived onto the window of a partially submerged structure anchored to the seafloor that gives guests a look into the ocean. The late Weber is seen holding up a note to Kenesha Antoine, who was standing inside the room. It was a piece of paper asking her to marry him.

The note read: “I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But everything I love about you I love more every day! Will you please be my wife? Marry me???”

Weber, wearing a snorkel and flippers, apparently only gave Antoine time to read the two-sided note before reaching into his pocket to pull out a proposal ring. He then swims out of the video frame as seawater sucked him down.

Antoine replied with a “Yes,” but it was too late. Her lover was already dead in the Indian Ocean waters.

“You never emerged from those depths, so you never got to hear my answer, “Yes! Yes! A million times, yes, I will marry you!!” Antoine wrote on her Facebook page, aggrieving about what she described to be “the cruelest twist of fate imaginable.” She did not say how Weber died.

The Department of State of Louisiana admitted to the media that a US tourist died in Tanzania, but no other details were reported. Efforts to contact authorities in Pemba weren’t successful either. 

9-Year-old Boy from Pune has Summited Mt Kilimanjaro

In Summary

Before the Kilimanjaro Advait Bhartia had attempted the world’s highest mountain by reaching the base of the Everest.

Advait, who also successfully trekked to the Everest base camp as a boy of six in 2016, finished the summit in seven days.

"This trek was really difficult but fun at the same time. When I was submitting (sic) the Everest Base Camp, we were living in wooden houses but during the Kilimanjaro trek, we stayed in tents and it was a good experience being exposed to snow and the surroundings,” he said.

He added: I could have completed the trek faster but the mountains were very beautiful and I took a lot of breaks to take in the beauty.

Advait also has Europe's highest peak Mount Elbrus on his bucket list for next year, said.

He added that thin air, reducing atmospheric oxygen by approximately 50 percent, and sub-zero temperatures ranging between minus 21 and 25 degrees Celsius at higher altitudes were some of the challenges he braved during his expedition.

According to his mother Payal Bhartia, Advait underwent stringent training over a period of two months as he prepared for the climb.

"His routine included swimming for an hour, cardiovascular training like playing football, cricket, and tennis in the second hour and climbing 100 floors and practicing Parkour (military obstacle training) was a regular part of the training during the third hour," she added.

Payal, who accompanied her son during the hike, had to cut short her journey by 1000 ft on the way up as she was unable to acclimatize to the increasing altitude.

"I am very proud of Advait and his dedication towards completing this trek. On the last day, Advait got emotional and he individually thanked the porters, the tent pitchers and the catering team for all their efforts," she said.

But he is not the youngest, in 2017, 8-year-old Roxy Getter became the youngest woman ever to get to the summit Mount Kilimanjaro.

Keats Boyd previously became the youngest person to ever summit Mount Kilimanjaro when he was 7 years old.

Tanzania to Receive a batch of 120 Tourists, Investors from Hong Kong

A DELEGATION of 120 tourists and investors from Hong Kong, China is expected to visit the country on Sunday, a senior official revealed on Tuesday.

Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Managing Director, Devota Mdachi revealed this when speaking at the just-ended one day Zhejiang-Tanzania Trade and Investment Forum that involved 25 businesspersons from Zhejiang province and Tanzanian businessmen.

The delegation will be in Tanzania following the roadshows that were conducted by TTB and other stakeholders in November last year in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shanghai to market destination Tanzania and investment opportunities available in the country.

While in Tanzania, the delegation will visit Ngorongoro crater, Serengeti national park, and other tourist’s attractions before participating in the business meeting in the country’s northern safari capital of Arusha.

The Arusha business meeting has been organized by TTB, Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC).

“The idea is to help Hong Kong delegation see business and investment opportunities available in Tanzania that will attract them to make the decision to invest in Tanzania,” the TTB official said.

“As TTB we are happy for this delegation because our trip that was conducted in November last year in Hong Kong was very successful as it has brought about positive results to us because right now we have begun to get tourists from Hong Kong,” she noted.

While in Hong Kong, the TTB delegation which also included ATCL officials met 80 tour operators, media representatives and other groups of interest and discussed how they can collaborate to promote destination Tanzania and bring tourists from Hong Kong to Tanzania.

Mdachi said: “The Chinese tourists who visited the country in November were very impressed to see the massive tourist attractions that we have on offer including world heritage sites, cultural tourism assets, and beautiful sandy beaches.”

Speaking with Zhejiang businessperson who was attending the Zhejiang-Tanzania Trade and Investment Forum, the TPSF Executive Director, Godfrey Simbeye invited more Zhejiang people to invest in Tanzania in the tourism sector and other sectors to strengthen business links between Tanzania and Zhejiang province.

According to UNCTAD 2018, World Investment report, in 2017 the FDI inflow reached USD 1.18 billion that is equal to 2.3 percent of DGP,  making it among the 10 biggest recipients of FDI in Africa. The current FDI stock is estimated at USD 20.3billiion that is equal to 39% of GDP.

Hong Kong Company signs Agreement with TTB to bring Tourists to Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. A Hong Kong-based company Paper Communication Ltd has committed to bringing 130 tourists to Tanzania in November this year, Tanzania Tourists Board (TTB) today told The Citizen.

The agreement between the Chinese company and TTB was reached at the ongoing tourism exhibition in China that started last month.

In a statement released by TTB on Friday, tourists are hoping to visit some of the tourist attractions in the country during their visit and some who are businessmen will also look forward to the investment opportunities available in Tanzania.

Speaking at the event, the Company's representative Annie Wu said that the tour of 130 tourists is the result of the exhibition by TTB.

At the same time, TTB board chairman Rtd Judge Thomas Mihayo has also met Hanjin and HnaTour of South Korea that also promised to bring a sizeable number of tourists later this year.

Mr. Mihayo said tourists agents have agreed to come to Tanzania to negotiate with TTB as well as to look for opportunities to bring more tourists from South Korea to Tanzania.

Speaking after the signing of the pact with the company, TTB managing director Devota Mdachi said that through the Tanzanian embassy in Southern Korea is planning to organize a broadcast tour in the future where they will meet other South Korea companies.

Burigi-Chato National Park

The newly-inaugurated national park will be the third largest wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania after Serengeti and Ruaha, according to Natural Resources and Tourism deputy minister Constantine Kanyasu.

Burigi-Chato, along with Ibanda-Kyerwa, and Rumanyika-Karagwe, were recently elevated from the status of the game reserve to that of the national park. This brings the total number of national parks in Tanzania to 19.

President Magufuli said Tanzania boasts of being a country with the largest ‘Protected Land Area’, covering some 361,594 square kilometers, which is 32 percent of its total area.

The Chato Member of Parliament, who doubles as the Energy Minister, Dr. Medard Kalemani, told those present that his constituency has become an investment hot spot, thanks to massive improvements in its infrastructure and the available resources.

He said considering the number of development projects being implemented in Chato, the area was poised for rapid growth that would position it to rise to city status in the coming few years.

“I want to send this message across the country that Chato is now a potential investment spot. We have developed roads, a huge airport of international standard, and soon we will be constructing a stadium, which will also be used as a tourist attraction. Most importantly Chato also has minerals,” he said.

From Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro with Love: KLM’s First 787-10 Dreamliner Lands at KIA

Royal Dutch Airline, KLM has deployed its first Dreamliner to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) direct from Amsterdam, offering a ray of hope to a Tanzania’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry.

The new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, “Oranjebloesem” (Orange Blossom) registration PH-BKA, was delivered in Amsterdam on Sunday, June 30, 2019, and it's maiden scheduled flight was KIA or JRO on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.

Indeed, the maiden landing of the most touted luxurious plane at KIA, a major gateway to Tanzania’s northern tourism circuit, with 344 tourists from across Europe, has essentially graced the onset of the tourism high season.

It was greeted at KIA with a water salute after having successfully touched the JRO’s running way at 7:40 p.m East African Time, as the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Dr. Annah Mghwira leading the crowd to cheer the historic landing of the aircraft.

KLM is the first European airline to operate this more sustainable and economical aircraft. The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner has the same efficient engines as the 787-9. The combination of these engines with the use of lighter materials in the 787-10 means it produces lower carbon emissions and less noise.

“The 787-10’s design is highly sophisticated, with large windows and a spacious interior providing much more room and comfort,” Captain Tom Van Hoorn told eTurboNews at KIA. KLM plans to have 15 Boeing 787-10s in its fleet by 2022.

Kilimanjaro Regional governor, Dr. Mghwira expressed Tanzania’s government appreciation to KLM for the great honor of deploying its first new Dreamliner to land at KIA with such considerable number of tourists at the onset of high tourism season.

“This is a vote of confidence from KLM and we are reciprocating in kind as we will ensure all holiday-makers are enjoying our attractions hustle free,” she explained, underscoring the need for tour operators to grab the opportunity for offering the tourists the best services.

For her part, Business Development Manager, Ms. Chirstine Mwakatobe from Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company (KADCO), an executive arm of the KIA, thanked KLM for bestowing the great honor on Tanzania.

Indeed recently, Tanzania picked, BAM International contracting firm of Netherlands, to execute what was billed as the largest overhaul ever, in its efforts to elevate KIA into a fully-fledged tourist’s gateway.

Financed by Tanzania and the Dutch governments at $39.7 million, the makeover project, saw all runways, apron, taxiways and passenger lounge modernized in a bid to offer holidaymakers a hassle-free trip to the country’s northern tourist’s circuit.

With increased traffic, demands for customer satisfaction, security concerns and growing competition, KIA has found it imperative to benchmark itself with pace-setting organizations, meeting and overcoming emerging challenges along the way.

The 47-year-old airport, which situated between Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions, has over the years undergone a series of touch-ups and renovations, but now has achieved world-class status with the makeover.

KADCO’s Mwakatobe said that the airport’s modernization included the expansion of the terminal buildings, increased the length and width of taxiways and runaways, expanded aircraft aprons as well as established other essential services at the terminal.

Ms. Mwakatobe further divulged that BAM also installed new airfield ground lighting and floodlights along with the aprons, resurfaced the runaways, and created continuous loop linking runways and taxiways to eliminate delays in landing and take-off.

Boasting an annual increase of 25 percent in passenger traffic, KIA management expects to handle nearly 1.2 million flying customers this year. Inaugurated for business in 1972, KIA was designed to handle just 200,000 passengers annually.

“Today is a special day as we receive the latest Dreamliner, the first to be operated by KLM and also KIA being the first airport for the aircraft to land,” Ms. Mwakatobe explained.

She attributes the improvement of KIA’s hard and soft infrastructures, as well as good rapport between the KLM and the airport as the key factors behind the deployment of Dreamliner B787-10.

TCT - Launches Partnership Strategy to Boost Country’s Tourism Sector

THE Tourism Confederation of Tanzania (TCT) in collaboration with stakeholders has launched a partnership strategy to boost the country’s tourism sector growth and improve the quality of services as part of efforts to market destination Tanzania.

This was revealed on over the weekend by TCT executive secretary, Richard Rugimbana when launching the partnership strategy at the TCT headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

The strategy is designed to uplift the tourism sector in Tanzania to make perform similarly with other countries around the globe. It will market the available tourism attractions to lure more foreign tourists.

“Tourists are coming in Tanzania because of the quality services that we offer, we have the best tourists’ products such as Serengeti national park, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro crater”, said Rugimbana insisting the improvement in services is due to training offered to stakeholders.

He commended the World Bank for supporting the government in improving the southern circuit tourism through the Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth Project (REGROW).

Through REGROW project, the southern circuit will be known worldwide as well as easy to reach because it involves improvement of infrastructures.

Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr. Hamis Kigwangalla added that the new strategy will strengthen the partnership between the private and public sector.

“We are working with tourism stakeholders to identify the opportunities in the sector so that they are utilized”, said Dr. Kigwangalla adding the government is also working on the challenges stakeholders face to ensure smooth operations.

The Minister asserted that Tanzania targets to receive 500,000 tourists in the next season, calling for concerted efforts to attain the target. He said the government has invested in cruise ship tourism which is the fastest growing segment in the tourism sector so as to increase the number of visitors.

“We have so far received 11 cruise ships from different countries. Our target is to receive over 30 cruise ships per year”, he noted.

“I would like to assure you that my ministry is vigilant of the positive initiatives like this. We are endowed with a number of tourists attractions hence the need to market them accordingly”, he said.

He said the tourism sector accounts for 17 percent of the country’s GDP which is equivalent to 25 percent of the total export earnings.

The enormous economic importance of tourism, especially as an engine of employment, is to date visibly valid as it supports an estimated number of 500,000 direct jobs, he said.

Currently, the statistics show that the number of tourists that toured in Tanzania in 2018 stood at 1.3 million and the Government is targeting to attract 2 million tourists by 2020.

Tanzania Makes Tourism Country’s Top Priority

Key players in Tanzania’s tourism and hospitality industry and the country’s National Assembly have agreed to work hand in hand in guaranteeing the industry with the due priority it needs for driving the national economy.

The Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) and Hotel Association of Tanzania (HAT) delegation recently engaged Parliament Speaker Job Ndugai in Dodoma in their latest attempt to lobby for fair treatment of the industry.

Thanks to the USAID PROTECT for building the capacity of TATO, an umbrella organization with over 300 members, it became an efficient advocacy agency for the tourism sector.

During their round-table discussion with the Speaker, the TATO and HAT team briefed Mr. Ndugai on a rough patch the multi-billion-dollar industry is passing through as a result of unfriendly and inconsistent policies.

“The industry needs the intervention of your august office now [more] than ever before,” the TATO Trustee and founder Chairman, Mr. Merwyn Nunes, told him.

A myriad of taxes and levies imposed on the industry were not only making the business environment unfriendly but also tagging Tanzania globally as a non-competitive tourism destination, Mr. Nunes explained.

Going by available records, a tour operator in Tanzania is subjected to 32 different taxes, including business registration, regulatory licenses fees, entry fees, income taxes, and annual duties for each tourist van.

Findings of a study on Tanzania’s tourism sector indicate that administrative burdens of completing the license tax and levy paperwork alone place a heavy cost on businesses in terms of time and money.

A tour operator, for instance, spends over 4 months to accomplish regulatory paperwork, let alone tax and license paperwork consuming a total of his 745 hours per year.

An average annual cost of personnel completing regulatory paperwork per local tour operator stands at $1,300 a year, the joint study by the Tanzania Confederation of Tourism (TCT) and BEST-Dialogue shows.

“We really need new ways and means, especially at policy-making levels, if the industry is to turn around the economy,” chipped in the TATO Vice-Chairman, Mr. Henry Kimambo.

The major concern of the HAT Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Nura-Lisa Karamagi, was over the Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries’ inspections embarrassing investors in hotels and campsites with unfair penalties for insignificant deficits.

Notwithstanding challenges facing the industry, tourism and hospitality earn Tanzania’s economy about $2.05 billion per annum, equivalent to 17 percent of the country’s GDP.

TATO CEO, Mr. Sirili Akko, said tourism is a sure way to turnaround the country’s economy because it is not consumptive.

“Tourists come just to see for their eyes and take photos and leave behind $2 billion annually. It is high time we give tourism its due attention for it to grow and spur other sectors of the economy,” Mr. Akko noted.

Speaker Ndugai expressed his gratitude to the TATO and HAT delegation for its initiative, as he pledged to support its bid of turning tourism into a national priority sector.

Mr. Ndugai called on TATO and HAT to sustain the partnership they forged with the House in a bid to resolve the investment climate hiccups and other challenges denying tourism national priority.

According to its national 5-year marketing blueprint, Tanzania anticipates hosting 2 million tourists by the end of next year, boosting its revenue from the current $2 billion to nearly $3.8 billion.

Tanzania Tour Operators want Reforms to Improve Business Landscape

Tanzania tour operators are upbeat at the news that the government would execute the reforms highlighted on the blueprint to improve the business environment.

Wilbard Chambulo, the Chairman of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) told media shortly after the meeting with the President Dr. John Magufuli at state House that tour operators want to see the reforms are put into practice.

“I just wanted to know from the President what should the business community do to support the Government since most of our pressing issues are clearly articulated on the blueprint” Mr. Chambulo explains.

He adds: “My attendance to his Excellency President, Dr. Maguful’s meeting is all about reminding him of expeditiously fast-tracking the implementation of key issues mentioned in the blueprint”.

The key for the Government to achieve its plan of attracting two million tourists in 2020, Mr. Chambulo says lying in relieving private sector from unnecessarily time-consuming compliance issues.

For instance, TATO boss points out on multiplicity of taxes and overlapping responsibilities of the regulatory bodies on the tourism industry as the biggest headache to his members, arguing the government to address them to spur industry growth.

Representing over 300 tour operators, TATO is a leading lobby agency for a tourism industry that earns the country’s economy about $2.43 billion per annum, equivalent to 17 percent of the country’s GDP.

Mr. Chambulo says multiple taxes compliance consumes a lot of time and money and, in fact, could encourage tax evasion.

The TATO chairman argues that the contentious issue is not only how to pay myriad taxes and make profits, but also the modality and time spent in complying with intricate taxes.

“Tour operators need streamlining of taxes to ease compliance because the cost of compliance is so high and as such it acts as an obstacle for voluntary compliance” Mr. Chambulo explains.

Tanzania to Create Special Authority to Promote Beach Tourism

The government of Tanzania is in the final stage of establishing a special authority charged with promoting beach tourism in the nation, a senior official told parliament on Wednesday.

Constantine Kanyasu, the Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, said the authority will ensure that the country's beautiful beaches were put into proper use as a destination for tourists from across the world.

Kanyasu was answering a special-seat Member of Parliament Amina Mollel, who asked what the government was doing to diversify tourism instead of relying on traditional tourism, like wild animals.

Kanyasu also asked if the government was ready to develop Coco Beach in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and other beaches in the country.

In November last year, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced that the government was establishing a beach management directorate aimed at promoting beach tourism in the country.

"We instructed the ministry responsible for tourism to ensure that we improve our lakes and sea beaches for the country's development and the ministry is working on the instructions," Majaliwa told the National Assembly.

Tourism is one of the largest foreign exchange earners of Tanzania, contributing an average of 2 billion U.S. dollars to the country annually, which is equivalent to 25 percent of all exchange earnings, according to the government data.

A report released in June 2017 rated Tanzania's tourism industry as one of the fastest growing sectors in the country with figures showing surgeon tourist arrival.

The report was jointly compiled by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the Bank of Tanzania, the National Bureau of Statistics, the Immigration Department and the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism.

Serengeti Unchallenged in World Travel Awards Gala

The Serengeti National Park emerged tops at the awards ceremony that took place at the weekend in Mauritius, after beating other five nominees including Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve and South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

This is the second recognition in a row for Serengeti after it won the best African Safari Park last year in ratings organized by SafariBookings.com. The win followed an in-depth study that included more than 2,500 reviews from safari tourists and industry experts.

In this year’s World Travel Awards, Thanda Island in Mafia district was also named Africa’s Leading Luxury Island 2019. The exclusive luxury privately-run island off the Indian Ocean coast beat three other contenders in the category.

Zanzibar’s Diamonds La Gemma dell'Est hotel won two categories: Africa's Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2019 and Africa's Leading Beach Resort 2019.

In 2017, Tanzania was named Africa’s Best Safari country by SafariBookings.com after an in-depth analysis of reviews from safari tourists and acclaimed Africa experts. In its announcement of the win, Safaribookings.com said more than 2,500 reviews were used in the comprehensive research which included contributions from safari-goers all over the world and 22 reputable guidebook authors.

Tanzania which is the largest country in East Africa focuses on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, and with approximately 28 percent of the land put under wildlife protection, it boasts of 15 national parks and 31 game reserves.

Also, it is the home of the tallest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti National Park, named in October 2006 as the New 7th Wonder of the World by ‘Good Morning America’ radio pogramme, the world-acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often called the 8th Wonder of the World. There is also the Olduvai Gorge, seen as the cradle of mankind as well as the Selous Game Reserve, the world’s largest game reserve.

Tanzania also has the Ruaha National Park currently the second largest national park in Africa, the spice islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, historical sites in Zanzibar, beach tourism and cultural tourism.

The tourism sector directly employs hundreds of thousands of people and contributes to the country’s GDP and is the top earner of much-needed hard currency.

The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) has since embarked on a brand promotion campaign to boost the country’s international appeal and visibility.

Dubbed ‘Tanzania – Unforgettable,’ the move seeks to encourage travelers and tourists to visit and share Tanzania’s amazing tourism offering to the world.

Tanzania: Sevilla Tour Served Tanzania Football, Tourism, Says Minister

SPORTPesa Tanzania Director of Administration and Compliance Tarimba Abbas said the tour of Sevilla FC in the country has opened up more opportunities in sports and tourism sectors.

The Spanish LaLiga giants were in the country for a three-day productive tour which climaxed on Friday after running various clinics meant to accelerate the growth of football in Tanzania and the entire world. However, the whole nation was on a standstill when the five-time UEFA Europa League winners exchanged tackles with the country's 20- time champions Simba at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Despite the match ending in favor of the visitors who won 5-4, the level of football display shown by Simba was remarkable no wonder Sevilla coach and some players heaped praises on the home side immediately after the exciting game. However, briefing reporters recently, Abbas said despite Sevilla contingent staying in the country for a short time, they managed to impart many skills which will highly uplift the development of football in the nation. "Both players and team leaders have benefited a lot from the tour made by Sevilla. For example, through the brief football clinic they ran at Uhuru Stadium with Bom Bom academy, the young players snatched some crucial skills from the Sevilla players," Abbas noted. He also said the agreement signed by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) together with LaLiga is another essential area which is going to propel the development of football between the two sides. 

In terms of tourism expansion, the SportPesa boss said whatever Sevilla does from any corner of the world, it attracts massive media coverage basing on their popularity as such, Tanzania has reached around the globe for the few days they stayed. "They did not come to play football only but also to look at the numerous attractions that we have. We wanted to take them across the country but time was very limited to do so," Abbas said. In his remarks, Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Harrison Mwakwembe lauded SportPesa Tanzania for its tremendous effort to back up the government in uplifting football standards. "We are thrilled by Sevilla tour and this will simplify the landing of other big clubs in the country," Mwakyembe said. However, Sevilla president José Castro Carmona said they regretted to have planned a short stay after seeing many things they never thought are present in the country. "For sure, we will be good ambassadors of Tanzania in Spain," Carmona said.

Tanzania Bans the use of Plastic Bags

In his speech during a budget session in the National Parliament of Tanzania the Prime Minister His Excellency Kassim Majaliwa announced that the last day to use plastic bags in Tanzania will be 31st May 2019 and from the 1st June no one will be allowed to produce, import, sell or use plastic bags. He called on the plastic producing industries in the country to diverse some other technology for carrying bags instead of plastics. He said he has directed the minister for environment and union from the Vice President’s office to include the ban in the existing environment law and make it a legal ban.

NCA Director has congratulated the government for stepping up the fight against plastic pollution in the country. He said NCA is impressed with the Tanzania government’s decision to ban the use of plastic bags and carriers which will be a big bust in the bid to protect the environment and natural resources.

“Plastic is a number one polluter of environment and a silent killer of our natural environment and resources than most people understand. This is because it takes more than a hundred years for a single plastic bag to decay. We are happy that Tanzania is among the very few African countries to ban the use of plastic bags and we will work hard toward supporting the government in the fight against plastic pollution”.

“We understand that the control of plastic pollution calls for all stakeholders’ participation in raising awareness and making sure that the ban is being effectively observed, we are therefore ready to work with the government to give expert advice whenever needed. Our initiatives will also be directed towards raising awareness to the Tanzania community as we believe an educated man is a wealthy man”. He said. 

 Tanzania joins about 13 countries in Africa that have either banned or introduced a levy on plastic bags to control and eventually stop its use.  In East Africa  Kenya introduced a complete ban on plastic last August  while in Uganda In 2007, a ban of lightweight plastic bags was introduced and came into effect that year. However, the ban was never implemented. Plastics even the countries with bans are still using them illegally.

Plastic which was introduced in Africa a generation ago has been reported to pollute both the seas and land at an alarming rate. According to EcoWatch Plastics affect all biological spectrum, including posing risks to human health and wildlife, the accumulation of these products has led to increasing amounts of environmental pollution around the world including Africa. About 90 percent of all trash floating on the ocean's surface is believed to be emanating from plastics.

According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), half of all plastic produced is designed to be used just once and then discarded, resulting in mass amounts of chemically-laden debris landing in oceans and littering landscapes.

Please take note of the introduction of plastics ban in Tanzania as of 01 June 2019. #notoplastics #environment #environmentfriendly #savetheplanet #visittanzania #serengeti #tanzaniaunforgettable #utaliitanzania #supportthecause #saveenvironment #noplasticstanzania #keepgreen #savetheenvironment 

Tanzania: Make Tanzania Your Second Home, PM Tells Israeli Tourists

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has called upon Israeli tourists to become Tanzania's ambassadors in and outside their home country by marketing the country's tourism sector.

Mr Majaliwa said this on the occasion bidding farewell to 274 Israeli tourists, part of the 1,000 tourists, who spent seven days in the country's national parks and Zanzibar.

The event took place at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) yesterday before the tourists boarded their Israel Airlines planes back home.

The PM conveyed to the Israelis greetings from President John Magufuli and Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan, thanking them for making Tanzania their first tourism destination by visiting Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Zanzibar, among other tourist attractions.

He said the government would strengthen relations with Israel and called upon potential investors to come and invest in the tourism sector, as the country still had a lot of opportunities as it sought to unlock the tourism potential, especially in the southern circuit.

"Tanzania still has plenty of opportunities in the tourism sector and we call upon you to be our good ambassadors when you are back.

We welcome Israelis and other people in the world to come and invest in the sector of tourism, especially now that we want to unlock the southern circuit," said Mr Majaliwa.

The record number of tourists from one country at ago comes nearly two years since Tanzania opened its embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, thanks to the Tanzanian Embassy staff and Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) in collaboration with other stakeholders.

The visit saw planes bring them in the country on April 20, as 150 other Israelis left the country after seven days of the visit. The first group of the 1,000 tourists left on Friday night, the second yesterday afternoon, the third at 4pm and the last one at 8pm

The PM was flanked by Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Hamisi Kigwangalla, TTB Chairman Judge (retired) Thomas Mihayo, TTB Managing Director Devotha Mdachi, Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner (RC) Anna Mghwira and Arusha RC Mrisho Gambo, among other leaders.

Mr Majaliwa called upon the tourists to be back in the country so that they could explore more opportunities and enjoy the nature in other national parks such as Gombe, Tarangire, Mkomazi, Saanane Island, Mikumi, Ruaha as well as the roof of Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro.

He hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his re-election to the post recently. The PM said the two countries enjoyed warm relations, pledging to further strengthen cooperation with Mr Netanyahu's government.

Speaking on the same occasion, Ms Mdachi said they were planning a visit to Israel and Jordan to further pursue their people to come for tourism purposes.

The director said they would also be seeking to bring journalists from the two countries that would be relaying messages and selling Tanzania in terms of tourist attractions when they were back.

She said attention would also be directed towards Asia and Europe and expectations were to get more tourists from next month, with about 300 Israelis on line.

Minister Kigwangalla pledged that the government and its people would continue protecting natural resources so Tanzania retained its place as one of the world's most attractive countries in terms of tourism.

He said the Israelis came in huge numbers at a time when the government was rebranding its tourism sector so that Tanzania was unforgettable.

Some of the tourists from Israel said they were greatly moved by tourist attractions they had visited and promised to be back in the future.

Ms Naomi Peer Moscovich and her daughters Dana and Lihi said were impressed with a huge number of wildlife as well as hospitality from Tanzanians.

Tanzanian Tour guides Oppose Mt Kilimanjaro Cable Car Project in fear of Losing Jobs

Tanzanian tourism stakeholders come out in opposition of the unveiled plan to build cable cars on Mount Kilimanjaro, saying the project will cut jobs and eliminate the fun of hiking for days to the roof of Africa.

Key industry players namely tour operators, guides and porters strongly protest the proposed facility, saying climbing Kilimanjaro Mountain on foot is a lifetime experience that should never be compromised by cable cars.

The protest came few weeks when Constantine Kanyasu, Tanzania's Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism said that the Cable Car project is part of the government's latest strategy to woo tourists with over 50 years of age.

Mount Kilimanjaro Porters Society (MKPS) opposes the cable car product outright, saying it will deny employment to nearly 250,000 mountain porters scaling up Mount Kilimanjaro for a wage each year.

"Much as the cable car service doesn't require porters, majority of tourists will climb Mount Kilimanjaro on day trip basis using the new product to cut down costs and length of stay," said Edson Mpemba, MKPS Vice Chairman.

Mpemba wondered that decision makers had overlooked interests of the huge number of the unskilled labour force, which solely depends on the mountain to eke out a living.

"Think of the ripple effect on families of the 250,000 unskilled porters," he stresses, cautioning: "The cable car facility will initially look like a noble and innovative idea, but it will, in the long run, ruin the future of the majority of local people whose livelihood depends on the mountain."

Juma Salewa, a seasoned mountain tour guide also said that the glittering cable car product will contradict the country's conservation policy, as it will encourage mass tourism and become a major threat to the ecology of Mount Kilimanjaro.

He also said that tour operators are also worried over the cable car harshly affecting revenues in the long run, owing to the service significantly reducing the length of stay from eight to one day.

"Assume all 50,000 tourists hiking Mount Kilimanjaro a year opt for the cable car, the national park will get 4.1 million U.S. dollars as a fee, down from the current 55.3 million U.S. dollars," he said.

Betty Looibok, Chief Park Warden with Kilimanjaro National Park (Kinapa) said the cable car is but only one of several additional tourism products embedded into Mount Kilimanjaro's General Management Plan (GMP) in an effort to boost revenue.

"Cable car is for physically challenged persons and aged tourists who want to experience the thrill of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro up to Shira Plateau without wishing to reach the summit," she explained.

She further explained that the construction of the cable car will depend on the outcome of the environmental and social impact assessment study, which is currently underway.

According to her, plans for the cable car service on the Kilimanjaro Mountain are not entirely new; as the discussions date back to 1960s when the issue was raised but never materialized.

The feasibility plan in place will, however, bring the cable car one step closer to reality and make the mountain more accessible to special-needs groups than it has been so far.

Some of the 50,000 tourists conquering Mount Kilimanjaro peaks a year use one of the six separate walking routes to the roof.

Tanzanian National Park looks to Black Rhino for Promoting Tourism

DAR ES SALAAM - Tanzanian authorities said on Friday they have planned to spend some 651,000 U.S. dollars in launching a black rhino tourism that will enable visitors to watch the endangered wild animals at close range.

The tourism promotional stint using the black rhino will be the first of its kind to be done in Tanzania, said Abel Mtui, the assistant conservation officer in the Mkomazi National Park, northeastern of the east African nation.

Currently black rhinos are being used in South Africa for tourism promotional venture.

Mtui said the Mkomazi National Park was in final stages of erecting an electric fence with a 1,000-square km-area where the black rhino will be kept, adding that tourists will be able to watch rhinos at close range beginning July this year.

He said increased poaching of black rhinos in the 1980s forced Tanzania to transfer some of its black rhinos to South Africa and the Czech Republic for their safety.

"Most of the rhinos were returned to Tanzania after concerted efforts to fight poaching paid dividends," said the official.

"After we had realized that most of the tourists wanted to see rhinos at close range we came up with this arrangement," said Mtui.

The 3,500-square-km Mkomazi National Park is located in northeastern Tanzania on the Kenyan border, in Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions. It was established as a game reserve in 1951 and was upgraded to a national park in 2006.

Tanzania Identifies, Digitizes 274 new Historical Sites to spur Tourism

ARUSHA - Tanzania, has identified and digitized 274 new historical sites in the east African nation in a bid to boost the national coffers through tourism industry due to their national and international recognition, a senior official said on Monday.

Harrison Mwakyembe, Tanzanian Minister for Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, said that the sites include pre-colonial chiefdoms and independence resistance heroes as well as graves of post-colonial chiefs, freedom fighters and colonizers from Germany and later the United Kingdom.

Others include the historic Majimaji war fighters and the source of water they used for ritual cleansing during the war.

"All these have been stored using the information and communication technology for future research activities and use by the coming generations," he said in an interview.

He added this is part of the Tanzanian government's move to achieve the 2-million-tourist target by 2020.

He added that identification and registration of statistics from the regional and district culture and heritage officers in the mainland was done to improve the regulations at the respective levels.

The minister also noted that Tanzania is the coordinator of heritage and liberation programme in Africa aimed at identifying, collecting and documenting the history of the continental liberation movements.

The minister revealed that Tanzania will in September 2019 host the regional East African Community Arts and Culture Festival, which aims to provide a platform to showcase culture as a primary catalyst to regional integration and sustainable development.

Tanzania: Chinese Firm to Invest in Tz Tourism Sector

CHINA National Travel Service Group Corporation (CTS) is planning to invest in Tanzania's tourism sector by constructing hotels on the Mainland and Zanzibar.

According to Tanzania's Ambassador to China, Mr Mbelwa Kairuki, the corporation will also help promote Tanzania's tourism industry through its websites and online travel platforms.

CTS Deputy Managing Director Dr Lu Youqing expressed the commitment to invest in the country during discussions he held with Ambassador Kairuki in Hong Kong over the weekend.

Dr Lu, who served as Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania for several years, said CTS had wide experience in the tourism industry, adding that it was in their best interests to spread the company's tentacles to Tanzania for the sectoral growth.

With over 200 tourist hotels, CTS, through its subsidiaries, engages in tourism culture, tourism, real estate, tourism finance, and related businesses in Hong Kong and internationally.

Among other activities, CTS operates 2,500 travel agencies and an online travel platform, owns and manages a network of hotels, operates a man-made theme park, leisure resorts, cross-border land and water passenger transport ships, a performing arts venue, and scenic cableway projects.

Others are duty-free shops in airports, onboard aircraft, borders, passenger terminals, train stations, foreign shipping supplies, diplomats, cruise ships, and cities.

At the end of last December, Tanzania launched a marketing campaign in China to attract business travellers and tourists from the Asian giant.

Senior officials of the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, the national airline and key tourism institutions visited China in December to market the country's attractions.

The officials visited Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Beijing. Records show in 2017, Tanzania received 30,000 Chinese tourists and in 2019 the country expects 10,000 more.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) already exists between TTB and Touchroad International Holdings Group of China to market Tanzania's tourist attractions in key Chinese cities.

China has cited eight African countries as suitable tourist destinations for the Chinese, among them Tanzania. Others are Kenya, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Zambia.

French Eyes Tanzania’s Lucrative Tourism Sector

The Travel and Tourism report on Tanzania noted that the country posted a revenue of USD 2178.0 from arrivals in 2017.

The the number grew by 9.5%, last year and the country is expected to attract some 1,347,000 international tourist arrivals this year. Travel and Tourism attracted capital investment of USD 318 million in 2017 which rose by 8.2% in 2018, and will continue to rise by 6.4% pa over the next ten years to USD 639 million come 2028.

According to the “African insights: Hotels outlook 2017-21” report published in 2016, Hotel occupancy and Average Daily Rates (ADR) are set to continue to climb over the next five years thanks to rising tourist arrivals. Both the government and private sector are seeking increased investment in the sector to meet growing demand and the diversification of the tourism sector.

“The sector will desperately need more accommodation space, including beach-front five-star hotels and lodges, but also to support large 3000-5000 visitor forums like exhibitions and conferences,” Jumanne Maghembe, then-minister of natural resources and tourism told press.

Barley a year after a delegation of French investors representing some 31 companies visited Tanzania, France has chosen Tanzania to be the first East African country to host its prestigious Goût de France. Hyatt Regency in Dar es Salaam Tanzania hosted the French Gastronomy Cuisine Festival on the 21st March themed around sustainability and green economies.

French ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Frédéric Clavier described the event as a sign of growing French-Tanzania relations.

“It celebrates and acknowledges the huge economic role played by the catering and hospitality industry,” he said.

He was keen to point out that gastronomy creates employment in the tourism and hospitality industries which are both key sectors for Tanzania as a major tourist destination. In fact Tanzania’s tourism sector represents over 12% of the country’s total employment. In this regard, as part of the French Cuisine celebration, some 30 Tanzanian chefs will get training under Chef Francois Lucchesi, who is among a delegation of French experts who have come to Tanzania to celebrate the event.

To meet the class and standards of the event the French Embassy has chosen to work with the global brand of excellence in catering and hospitality Hyatt Regency bringing to tropical East Africa, a taste of French cuisine. Addressing a media conference held mid-week in Dar es Salaam, Hyatt Regency General Manager Paris Etoile expressed his enthusiasm and readiness to host the fifth edition of the gourmet festival.

The Case Of Zanzibar:

As for Zanzibar alone, in 2018, some 433,474 tourists visited the island, while there are no readily available accounts of what percentage of those were from France, it is safe to assume that a good number were French. As is the case for the mainland, the tourism sector is a major source of employment giving jobs to more than 72,000 Zanzibarians, according to government statistics. The sector also brings in over 80 percent of the island’s foreign exchange and represents a quarter of Zanzibar’s GDP.

Last year, Zanzibar’s Minister for Information, Tourism and Heritage Mr. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo said they expect more than 500 000 tourists, hitting the mark a year before planned. a lot higher than the forecasted; the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi’s 2015-2020 Manifesto projected the half million number would be attained in 2020.

The minister said tourism in Zanzibar is growing at an impressive rate of 12 percent each year and as such, it is boosting the catering and hospitality sector each year.

“We need 5,000 more rooms to cater for high demand,” he told the press. That is good news for hotel and lodge investors as well as catering businesses.

 

Tanzania: Revealed - Tanzania Now Prepares to Receive 10,000 Tourists From China.

Dar es Salaam — Implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) and Touchroad International Holdings Group, has started with the first batch of Chinese visitors expected in the country in May.

Last December, TTB signed an MoU with Touchroad International Holdings Group (Touchroad Group) of China, under which the latter was to market Tanzania's tourist attractions to China and bring to Tanzania at least 10,000 Chinese tourists in 2019.

TTB board chairman Judge Thomas Mihayo told journalists this in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, March 12.

He said that the first batch of 312 tourists, which is expected in the country in May, will comprise of Chinese celebrities, journalists, tour operators, investors and business personnel.

He was speaking during an event to welcome a delegation of seven Touchroad officials, led by Mr Fu Wei, who also serves as the inspector for Zhejiang provincial department of culture and tourism of China.

"The Touchroad chairman, Mr He Liehu came to Tanzania first in January, with a delegation of 35 people where, among other things, launched a campaign known as 'Tour Africa New Horizon' which is geared at bringing tourists to Africa," he said.

He said the campaign will be undertaken in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Djibouti.

"On March 8, Mr He is, once again, here with us with seven people. While here, they will visit and inspect all the tourist attractions that the first group of 312 tourists will go to," he said.

He said so far, they have been Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks.

A total of 30 investors will also be in the first group of tourists, said Judge Mihayo, calling upon members of the business community to grab the chance.

According to Mr Wei, the Touchroad company has plans to bring in 262 tourists every week from May to December 2019, reaching the goal of 10, 000 tourists as agreed in their MoU with TTB.

Meanwhile, Touchroad Group has signed another MoU with Air Tanzania Company Ltd that will see the latter availing its aircrafts in transporting the tourists when they start exploring different tourist attraction in the country.

Tanzania Court Sentences Chinese ‘Ivory Queen’ to 15 years for Ivory Smuggling

Dar es Salaam — A Tanzanian court sentenced a prominent Chinese businesswoman dubbed the “Ivory Queen” to 15 years in prison on Tuesday for smuggling the tusks of more than 350 elephants to Asia — a big victory in the battle to stamp out poaching in Africa.

Yang Feng Glan had been charged in October 2015 along with two Tanzanian men with smuggling 860 pieces of ivory between 2000 and 2004 worth 13 billion shillings ($5.6m). She denied the charges.

Police sources said Yang, 69, had lived in Tanzania since the 1970s and was secretary-general of the Tanzania China-Africa Business Council.  She also owns a popular Chinese restaurant in Dar es Salaam.

Kisutu court magistrate Huruma Shaidi sentenced Yang, Salivius Matembo and Manase Philemon to 15 years in prison on convictions of leading an organised criminal gang.

Shaidi also ordered them to either pay twice the market value of the elephant tusks or face another two years in prison.

In court documents, prosecutors said Glan “intentionally did organise, manage and finance a criminal racket by collecting, transporting or exporting and selling government trophies” weighing 1.889 tons.

Demand for ivory from Asian countries such as China and Vietnam, where it is turned into jewels and ornaments, has led to a surge in poaching across Africa.

Tanzania’s elephant population shrank from 110,000 in 2009 to little more than 43,000 in 2014, according to a 2015 census, with conservation groups blaming “industrial-scale” poaching.

In March 2016, Tanzania sentenced two Chinese men to 35 years each in jail for ivory smuggling, while in December 2015 another court sentenced four Chinese men to 20 years in jail each after they were convicted of smuggling rhino horns.

Tanzania Targets Chinese Tourist Market

Tanzania is now targeting China as a new and an upcoming lucrative tourist market source in South East Asia after the traditional tourist market sources of Europe, North America and South Africa. A team of senior officials from Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Ministry of Tourism, tourist companies and other stakeholders visited China in November 2018 to market Tanzania’s tourism in Beijing and other leading, key Chinese cities.

The Tanzania officials had visited and organized tourism road shows in five Chinese cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Beijing. With the Chinese Embassy in Dar es Salaam, TTB is now looking to promote Tanzania tourism in China through exchange programmes involving journalists as well, officials said.

The Board (TTB) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Touchroad International Holdings Group of China to market Tanzania’s tourist attractions in key Chinese cities. Touchroad Group has inked a deal with Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) that will see the Chinese company sending about 10,000 tourists to Tanzania this year, TTB officials said.

The Tourism Board has been participating to various tourism fairs and exhibitions in China, aiming to expose Tanzania’s tourist products, mainly wildlife, the Indian Ocean beaches and historical sites. The Board is currently working with the government of Tanzania to market conference tourism as a new tourist product. China is on top among the world nations which Tanzania is looking to attract for conferences.

Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) is a new tourist product that TTB is working to attract through its marketing campaigns in China. Tanzania has been recognized and approved by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) headquarters in Beijing as one among the countries worth visiting by Chinese holidaymakers.

TTB had launched a market drive to showcase Tanzania’s wildlife, cultural heritage sites, Mount Kilimanjaro, historical sites, and the Indian Ocean beaches to the Chinese tourist market. Other African tourist destinations wrapped up for Chinese tourists are Kenya, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ethiopia, Mauritius, and Zambia.

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has rated China among the leading tourist source market in the world. Tanzania is as well looking to attract Chinese investors in accommodation and hospitality sector to build hotels, lodges and other such facilities that would offer Chinese cuisine.

Chinese tourists to Tanzania rose to 30,000 last year from 13,760 counted in the previous five years. The Chinese tourist market is now an optional strategy which Tanzania is looking to capture in addition to traditional markets, mostly the United States, Europe, Japan and South Africa.