At a festive evening at 24 Fifth Ballroom in New York, Hon. Shamsa S. Mwangunga, MP, Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism of the United Republic of Tanzania,  announced that Tanzania will institute Phase II of its successful TV ad campaign on CNN. The East African country will also air the same “Tanzania: The Land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and The Serengeti” commercial on WABC-TV/New York. The Hon. Mwangunga was joined at the gala by the Hon. Bernard Membe, Tanzania’s Foreign Minister.

During the gala evening, the highlight of a weeklong series of meetings with influential travel industry groups, the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) also presented its annual awards. Diana Williams, WABC-TV anchor in New York, accepted the TTB 2008 Media Award, and G.A.P. Adventures Founder and CEO Bruce Poon Tip accepted the TTB Tour Operator Humanitarian Award.

In New York City for the first time in her position as Tanzania Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism and as President of Africa Travel Association, Hon. Mwangunga led a high level tourism delegation which included government officials and private sector Africa tour operators and hoteliers. The visit was timed to coincide with his participation in the United Nations General Assembly of H.E. Jackaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania. .

Accompanying the Hon. Minister were Ms. Blandina Nyoni (Permanent  Secretary) Ministry of Natural Resources & Tourism (MNRT) ; Ms.Mary Mmari, Director of Tourism, MNRT; Mr. Julius Kibebe, Personal Assistant to the Minister; Mr. Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB); Mr. Geoffrey Meena, Marketing Manager, TTB; Mr. Gerald Bigurube, Director General Tanzania National Parks;  Mr. Paschal Shelutete, Tanzania National Parks;  Mr. Bernard Murunya, Acting Chief Conservator, Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA);  and  Mr. Steven Lelo, Tourism Manager Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.  They were joined by H.E.Ombeni Y. Sefue, Ambassador to the U.S. of the United Republic of Tanzania, and H.E.Dr. Augustine Mahiga, Tanzania’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Hon. Mwangunga and her delegation met with key representatives of the American Tourism Society (ATS), the Africa Travel Association (ATA), SKAL, and the U.S. Tour Operators’ Association (USTOA). Also on the agenda was a meeting with the American Association of University Women. And the Minister spoke at the ATA Third Annual Presidential Forum held at New York University, and participated in the National Geographic Conservation Roundtable.

The travel industry meetings and Phase II TV advertising campaign comes at a  time when marketing is credited with helping increase projected tourism income from the U.S. to $1.35 billion USD in 2009, up from a projected $1.2 billion USD in 2008.   Mwangunga and her delegates arrived in the United States at a time when Americans have become the Number One tourism market in Tanzania, and Hon. Mwangunga plans to keep the momentum growing. “For the first time,” the Minister continued, “visitors from the U.S. reached a record high of 68, 379 in visits to Mainland Tanzania and the Spice Islands of Zanzibar. This growth is unprecedented and we look forward to a continuing expansion of the sector.” 

Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director TTB added: “Tanzania has always stressed the quality of the safari experience and conservation of land and wildlife over mass tourism. As the largest country in East Africa, we can accommodate increased numbers of travelers and still maintain our high standards of ecological conservation.”