Have budgets for heritage festivals Vice President

Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

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Ms Samia made the instructions yesterday at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma when gracing the 2018’s heritage festival.

Dar es Salaam. Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan has instructed all regional commissioners across the country to allocate budget for hosting heritage festivals to be held every September.

Ms Samia made the instructions yesterday at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma when gracing the 2018’s heritage festival.

In the event, which was broacast live, she also instructed the RCs to cooperate with their subordinates and members of the public to ensure the festivals, which aim at promoting Tanzanian traditions and culture, are held successfully.

“They will be assisted by the ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism,” she said.

The ministry, according to her, would designate the venues in which the events will be held, and undertake all other procedures to formalise the festivals.

“This is one of the ways that the government will use in a bid to promote the country’s tourist attractions, in line with implementing the CCM election manifesto that among other seeks to increase the number of tourists from 1.1 million to 2 million come 2020,” she explained.

The Vice President asked the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to take part in promoting tourism by constructing special docks that will be hosting ships carrying tourists.

“There is a big potential in water transport that we have not yet exploited, while the government has invested in air and surface transport, our fellows from TPA can also take part in promoting it,” she urged.

She was of a view that the changes should start in Dar es Salaam where according to her there are plenty of opportunities that could boost the sector.

“There are ships that carry up to 6,500 tourists, if we shall receive one of these then our country can be in a good position to meet the targets,” she explained.

Earlier, in his welcoming remarks, Natural Resources and Tourism deputy minister Josephat Hasunga said the ministry was planning to launch a special studio and channel that would be promoting tourist attractions.

The move, according to him aims at increasing contribution of sector to the country’s gross domestic product.

“Right now, tourism sector contributes 10 per cent to the national income, so the plan is increase it,” he said.