Tanzania
has announced a 7 percent increase in tourist arrivals from the US as
more Americans continue to be attracted by the world famous natural
wonders found in the East African nation.
A report from Karen Hoffman, President of the Bradford Group based
in the US indicates that more Americans are putting Tanzania on their
‘bucket list’ as tourism from the United States continues to grow.
“As representative in the US, I wish to express thanks to the
Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) because TTB announced a seven percent
increase in visitors from the US (up from 65,110 in 2012 to 69,671 in
2013), making America Tanzania’s second largest tourism source market
worldwide,” she said.
Hoffman, who is also the TTB representative in the US and Chanel
LeMond said the increase is the result of the good work of our marketing
efforts in the Americas. She noted that Tanzania will continue to
receive more bookings from US travellers showing their interest to visit
various parks in the East African second economy.
She said the North American market as a whole (Canada, Mexico, US)
showed an increase of 7.3 percent (From 84,639 in 2012 to 90,819 in
2013). Tanzania has showed a steady increase of visitors worldwide over
the past five years, having reached its benchmark of 1,000,000 visitors
in 2012 for the first time since records have been kept.
Natural Resources and Tourism minister Lazaro S. Nyalandu, noted: “
The increase in tourism is due to several factors; the increased
airlift from the US, the greatly improved infrastructure, and Tanzania’s
new luxury accommodations which have attracted a growing number of
celebrities and Hollywood A-listers like Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie.”
For her part, TTB’s Acting Managing Director, Devota Mdachi said:
“The rapidly expanding infrastructure development, including luxury
accommodations and increased airlift, now enables tourists to combine
both a visit to the south to discover Tanzania’s hidden games, Ruaha
National Park, the Selous Game Reserve and to the north to visit the
iconic Serengeti, Kilimanjaro and Ngorongoro Crater.”
Fast Jet, recently inaugurated services in Tanzania connecting Dar
es Salaam and Mwanza on Lake Victoria Zone and new airports have opened
in Songwe in the south and Mpanda in western Tanzania.”
The success of TTB’s recent marketing efforts worldwide is
demonstrated in the 1.73 percent increase in overall visitors (from
1,077,058 in 2012 to 1,095,884 people in 2013).
This is also due to the fact that Tanzania, in addition to having
three of Africa’s natural wonders of the world, is viewed as a peaceful
and stable destination, rich in history and cultural diversity, she
said.
Presently Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa, focused
on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with approximately 28
percent of the land protected by the government, the largest percentage
of any country in the world.
It boasts of 16 national parks and 32 game reserves, 50 game
controlled areas, one special conservation area (the Ngorongoro) and
three marine parks.
It is home to the tallest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt
Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti, home to the "Great Animal Migration" that
was named the New 7th Wonder of the World, by US Today and ABC TV's Good
Morning America; the world acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often referred
to as the "Eden of Africa" and the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, Olduvai
Gorge, the cradle of mankind:
The Selous, the world’s second largest game reserve; Ruaha, now the
second largest National Park in Africa, the Spice Islands of Zanzibar;
and seven Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Most important for visitors, the Tanzanian people, with a rich
history and diverse blend of cultures, are warm and friendly. Tanzania
is regarded as an oasis of peace and stability with a democratically
elected and stable government.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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