How to increase tourist arrivals to 10m by 2030

Arusha. New strategies are needed to raise the number of foreign tourists visiting Tanzania to 10 million by 2030 as projected.

These have to include opening up the western route through Mwanza and Musoma to the famous sites in the northern tourism circuit.

Equally, proper mechanisms have to be put in place to attract middle-income tourists, especially from the Lake Zone regions.

“Low-cost accommodation facilities have also to be put in place to cater for such visitors,” suggests the Mara regional commissioner, Mr Adam Malima.

He made the remarks on Saturday during an event organized as part of the 60th anniversary of the iconic Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).

He said that, despite the great potential of wildlife and cultural attractions, the number of visitors to Tanzania had not reached optimal levels.

“We are still having challenges in achieving the two million visitors target by next year,” he said during a scientific conference held at Ngorongoro.

The 60th anniversary is to climax at Seronera, the headquarters of Serengeti National Park today (Monday), an event slated to be grace by the presence of Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Mr Malima challenged the conservation and tourism promotion agencies to market the Mwanza and Musoma airports as other entry points for incoming tourists.

Up to 70 percent of foreign tourists to Serengeti and Ngorongoro come in via the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), some 300-400 kilometres away.

He called on the Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) to open more low cost accommodation facilities for those who cannot afford high class lodges and hotels.

Statistics indicate Tanzania attracted 1.5 million tourists last year, up from 1.3m in the previous year (2017) earning $ 2.5billion, accounting for 30 per cent of the total export earnings.

Prof. Wineaster Anderson from the University of Dar es Salaam revealed projections of the country attracting 10 million foreign tourists by 2030.

“That will push the tourist revenues five times higher to $ 10bn driving the economic growth and national prosperity,” she said.

The sector currently provides a total of 1.3 million direct, indirect and induced jobs (600,000 direct) and 9.5 per cent of the total investments.

The chairperson of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) Mr Abiud Kaswamila said there was no contention 80 per cent Tanzania’s tourism remains wildlife-based.