H. E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, announced the launch of the first-ever TV tourism campaign in the American Market, Tanzania – Land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and The Serengeti. The VIP reception for Tanzania’s travel industry partners took place on Sept. 27, 2007 at Tavern on the Green in New York City.

The launch of the campaign was timed to coincide with President Kikwete’s visit to New York to speak at the UN General Assembly, as well as to accept the “African National Achievement Award on behalf of the People of Tanzania at a Gala organized by the Africa- American Institute. The Dinner took place on September 19, 2007 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New York City. The TV campaign is being aired on CNN, CNN Headline News, CNN Airport as well as CNN.COM.

Among the many Senior Tanzania Government officials present at this VIP reception were H. E. Ambassador Ombeni Y. Sefue, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the US and H. E. Dr, Augustine Mahiga, Tanzania’s Permanent Representative to the UN. The Hon. Professor Jumanne Maghembe, Minister of Natural Resources & Tourism, led the tourism delegation which included Ms. Blandina Nyoni, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism (MNRT); Mr. Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB); Mr. Gerald Bigurube, Director General, Tanzania National Parks, Mr. Bernard Murunya, Chief Conservator, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) and Ms Mary Mmari, Assistant Director of Tourism, MNRT.

Tanzania Tourism is booming and currently America is the number two source market of visitors to Tanzania. Tourism Minister Hon Prof. Maghembe said “one of the objectives of this TV campaign is to boost American travel to our country so it becomes the number one source of visitors to Tanzania worldwide. We are confident that our media campaign, together with a simultaneous Tanzania Travel Agent Specialist Program offered by Travel Agent University, we will be able to reach this goal by 2008”

In addition to the tour operators selling Tanzania, other industry partners attending the reception represented airlines, hoteliers, professional travel organizations including Africa Travel Association (ATA), American Tourism Society (ATS), United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) and American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).