Durban — TANZANIA is expecting more business
from tour operators within and outside the African continent in the
coming years; thanks to the country's abundant tourist attractions.
Tanzania's effective participation, through the Tanzania Tourist
Board (TTB), during the just ended Indaba trade show in Durban, South
Africa, has as well boosted the country's prospects for robust tourism
business.
According to TTB Marketing Director, Devota Mdachi, through this
year's trade show, Tanzania learnt new methods of advertising and is
prepared to enter into new agreements, contracts as well as gaining new
connections with other African tourism sectors.
"There are big prospects with a lot of people interested in Tanzania,
especially at a time when it was recently announced that our nation has
three attraction centres - Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater and the
Serengeti that have entered into the seven natural wonders of Africa,"
said Ms Mdachi.
She added that Tanzania has also been announced as the best 'safari'
destination by safaribooking.com; hence bringing out more people who
come to ask for more information concerning tourism in Tanzania at the
pavilion.
"With more than 38 tourist companies from Tanzania that participated,
having about 100 representatives; our nation and its natural beauty has
been represented and advertised in a profound manner," added Ms Mdachi.
"Tanzania has been participating since 1999 and this year, we have
experienced a tremendous growth in the number of exhibitors under our
stand as compared to when we started with hardly 10 to 15 tourist
companies from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar," she continued.
Speaking to one of the exhibitors of a tourist company called Zara
Tanzania Adventures, managed by Ms Zainab Ansell, she said that although
they are making new business opportunities, they are also advertising
Tanzania.
Being the fourth time Zara has participated in the trade show, it
continues to experience progressive changes each year as a result of
getting new connections and meeting different tour operators at the
Indaba as it is the biggest trade show for us Africans, she added.
"A lot of things have improved since we started attending Indaba as
we learn better ways on how to improve our services and what customers
expect from us, with agents referring us to other people; thus having
the lead in business," she continued.
Furthermore, she advised Tanzanian tour companies and the ministry to
have more coordinated efforts as the country has a lot of attractions
compared to other African nations, with much more to offer in the
tourism sector as this may lead to obtaining more customers.
"TTB did a good job and was organised and Zara is thankful for
allowing us to participate under their umbrella," said Ms Ansell. As
Indaba ends, it is hoped that all plans have been achieved and all
additional changes brought this year in the trade show have led to the
success for all participants, said the Chief Executive Officer of South
African Tourism (SAT), Mr Thulani Nzima.
"From exchanging business cards to accessing documents, contacts and
presentations through the Indaba connectors which are like flash disks
shared by a simple touch; this kind of development is proof that we have
made a step forward and we are sure to have saved a miniforest
somewhere in our continent," added Mr Nzima.
SAT is not worried with the 15pc decrease of participants compared to
last year, as this year it focused on bringing well organised people,
he added.
About 9,754 people attended this year's show, whereas 4,904 were
exhibitors, 281 hosted buyers, 1,863 buyers and 833 media personnel,
with a 35 pc increase of international journalists.
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