Growing at a steady rate for the past seven years, Tanzania’s tourism is booming. According to the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania, Prof. Benno Ndulu, Tourism, earning $1 billion USD, now contributes nearly triple the GDP of Agriculture, which has been the leading contributor to the East African country’s coffers for most of its history.

According to the Honorable Mme. Shamsa S. Mwangunga, Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources & Tourism, “Estimates are that more than 750,000 tourists are expected to arrive in the country this year, bringing in about $950 million dollars.  We attribute this growth to several factors, not the least of which is that Tanzania has a stable and peaceful environment with a democratically elected government.

The fact that President George W. Bush spent four of the six days on his recent African tour in Tanzania speaks for itself about the safety and stability of the country, as well as about the visionary leadership of his host, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Tourism - Tanzania success story

Increased air access, with many carriers now flying direct to Tanzania, new luxury hotels on the Mainland and Zanzibar, improved infrastructure and tarmac roads on safari circuits are also major factors contributing to Tanzania tourism’s success story.

Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tanzania Tourist Board, noted that these improvements together with the diversification of the tourism product  adds to the existing allure of Tanzania’s unsurpassed wildlife, seven World Heritage Sites, the cultural richness and friendliness of Tanzania’s people, miles of beautiful Indian Ocean coastline and the exotic spice Islands of Zanzibar. “Over the last 10 years, Tanzania has become a stand-alone destination. In the past, many tour operators to East Africa offered Tanzania as an add-on or extension to other countries. Now, there is such a great demand by clients to spend their entire time in Tanzania, that the same tour operators offer more than one Tanzania-only itinerary. Recently they have even expanded their programs to include the lesser known Southern Circuit where visitors can explore the world famous Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park. Recently, it was announced that Ruaha will be combined with the adjacent Usangu Game Reserve, making it the largest National Park in Africa.”

Brand Tanzania: The land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the Serengeti

Tanzania as a brand is acquiring wide and respected recognition in the past few years, so it comes as no surprise that America is now the leading source of visitors to Tanzania’s Game Parks. In October 2006, Serengeti National Park was named the Seventh New Wonder of the World by ABC-TV’s Good Morning America and USA Today.  Zanzibar was on the New York Times Travel Section’s “Places to Go” in 2007. Kilimanjaro made the same list for 2008 as well as the USA Today 2008 List of “must see” destinations. Even the popular  American movie, The  Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, included a "Safari in  Tanzania" as one of the 10  “must do’s” before one “kicks the bucket.”

In an effort to reinforce Brand Tanzania with the American travelers as well as Travel Industry professionals in the US, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) launched a two-prong campaign. Targeting the consumer in September, 2007, TTB inaugurated a TV campaign, its first-ever, which aired on CNN, CHLN, CNN Airport, and CNN.com.

According to Amant Macha, TTB Marketing Director, “we have had a great demand from American agents for a Tanzania Travel Specialist program. With this in mind, TTB initiated a “Tanzania Travel Specialist” course of study with Travel Agent University. The response was overwhelming, with more than 500 travel agents passing the test and qualifying as Tanzania Specialists in the first four months of the course offering.”  

High Profile conferences

Now, the country is preparing to host two high profile conferences in Arusha: the 33rd Annual Congress of the Africa Travel Association, May 19-23, 2008 which is expected to draw more than 300 travel industry professionals; and the Leon H. Sullivan Summit VIII, June 2-6, 2008 expecting to draw more than 2000 delegates from the US.