Tanzania: Do More to Market Tourism, Govt Urged

Dodoma — Members of Parliament have called on the government to increase tourism promotion funds if the country wants to attract more foreign tourists.

Debating the proposed budget estimates for the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism for 2017/18 since Tuesday evening throughout yesterday the MPs raised a unanimous concern that the government was not doing enough to in advertising local attractions in the global market.

The minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe, on Tuesday told the Parliament that Tanzania received 1.2 million tourists in 2016 and plans were underway to attract up to two million tourists in 2020.

Mr Cosato Chumi (Mufindi Urban-CCM) said with the potential of tourism in boosting the national economy, the government hadn't done enough to advertise tourist attractions.

"Last year, we only injected $2 million into advertising the sector of tourism, but a country as tiny as Rwanda with very limited attractions spent $8 million," he said adding: "if we continue believing that tourists will keep on coming to Tanzania simply because we have abundant attractions, we will be lying to ourselves and countries with limited attractions, but extensive advertising strategies will keep doing better in terms of attracting tourists than us."

Ms Lucy Owenya (Special Seats-Chadema) said Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), which has the responsibility of promoting the country's attractions was operating with limited funds. "In 2016/17, TTB asked for Sh2.7 billion, but they have so far received only Sh422 million," she said.

Mr Edwin Sanda (Kondoa Urban-CCM) noted that the number of tourists visiting Tanzania would not increase on its own. "We must inject enough funds into advertising our attractions and make prospective tourists consider Tanzania as a favourable destination," she noted.

Tanzania is a Wonderful Tourist Destination - Journalists from Israel

A group often (10) visitors comprises journalists from different media houses plus social media channels, artist and tour operators from Israel who were in Kigoma for a three day visit in Gombe National Park which is referred to as haven to numerous primate species including chimpanzee have successfully concluded their visit organized by Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) in the park and promise to highly promote it in Israel and the Middle East in general.

Speaking in Kigoma shortly after arriving from Gombe National Park the leader of the group Ms Ronit Hershkovitz acknowledged TTB and the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources for organizing this visit and TANAPA for the facilitation they offered while in Gombe National Park.  She admitted that the visit has been so amazing and a wonderful experience which will remain their life history for many years to come. “Visiting Tanzania has been a great opportunity for us since we have witnessed by ourselves the uniqueness of tourist attractions Tanzania is endowed with including the chimpanzee, indeed, we promise to write and tell our fellow country men about the beauty of this country and all these” noted Ronit.

Commenting on the journalists in the group Ms Ronit discloses that they are from very credible and popular media outlets such as Yediot Acharanot -7 Yamim the weekend magazine of the biggest daily newspaper in Israel, Atmosphere magazine, National Geographic magazine, Channel 2 Television and two popular bloggers and social media practitioners who are also opinion leader . The visiting team also includes one film actor, a radio and TV celebrity, and two senior officials from Safari Company an Israel based Tour Company.

Commenting on the visit the TTB spokesman Mr GeofreyTengeneza said that the Board’s decision to coordinate this visit is nothing but implementation of strategy to tap on Middle East tourist source market. “The Middle East countries are potential tourists source market for Tanzania, so we hardly intend to penetrate into, and this is one the initiatives that we are currently undertaking to fulfil our mission.” noted Mr Tengeneza. He added that everyone in the group was very much excited by Gombe visit especially after seeing chimpanzee. He further said that the motive behind taking this group to Gombe National Park in line with TTB’s operations to undertake more promotional drive in southern and western circuits as it has been the case for northern circuit tourist attractions. Mr Tengeneza extended many thanks to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and Tanzania National Park (TANAPA) for their great support rendered to make this visit a success.

The team flew from Israel to Zanzibar on 19th April by charter plane and thereafter connect to Kigoma where were met at Kigoma Airport by Tanzania Tourist Board’s Head of Public Relations Unit Mr GeofreyTengeneza and Gombe Park warden Mr Elihuruma Wilson before being ferried by boat to the park which is located 16 km north of Kigoma town on the shores of world’s second deepest lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania.

The visit of the journalists, tour operators and actor from Israel has come just three days after that of the Israel former Minister Ehud Barak in Ngorongoro   Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park who accompanied with more than 100 delegates.