EDITORIAL: Scale up efforts to promote cultural tourism

Tanzania’s cultural tourism appears to be an underexploited source of revenue for the Treasury. For many years now, the focus has largely been on promoting the natural tourist attractions for which Tanzania is well-known across the globe. While there is nothing wrong with diverting more energies to the best that we offer, one cannot deny the fact that we get more through diversification.

Recently, industry stakeholders urged the government to invest more in cultural tourism. They cited the global trend that has seen rapid growth in the sub sector. The call made by the Tanzania Confederation of Tourism (TCT) is worth considering.

Worth noting is a report by the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), which indicates that cultural tourism could create more than 50,000 jobs for Tanzanians by 2020, under a five-year project aimed at growing the sub sector. This is a good starting point.

A survey by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN-WTO) also predicts rapid growth for the sub sector in Africa. This should encourage the government to do more.

Tanzania is blessed with diversity when it comes to cultural heritage, with over 120 nationalities, each with a unique set of cultural beliefs and practices. These are a great cultural tourist potential.

At the just-ended Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar, it was rather surprising that such an epic cultural event that attracts over 20,000 visitors seems not to rank high on the authorities’ priority list. Those who attended were there on personal adventure rather than official duty. Even so, it was evident that culture is good business.

This is why TTB needs to look for more innovative means through which these unique cultural aspects of Tanzania’s heritage can marketed.