Real Madrid Week:Soccer and tourism

Soccer-mad Tanzanians will have an opportunity to see 25 famous world soccer  maestros from the Spanish team, Real Madrid. They play against Tanzania Eleven  at the ultra-modern National Stadium in Dar es Salaam three days after arriving  on August 21.

 

This will be the time for the Tanzania soccer pundits to see football legends  like Luis Figo, Micheal Owen, Fernando Morientes, Fabio Cannavaro, Fernando  Hierro, Reuben De la Red, Christian Karembeu, Michel Salgado, Steve Mcmannaman,  Ruud van Nisterlooy, Jose Maria Gutierrez Hernandez ‘Guti’, and Fernando  Redondo in real life on the soccer pitch.

 

This is the first time for a full world-famous soccer team to visit Tanzania,  apart from the visit by billionaire Chelsea owner Abramovich. He came to the  country a few years ago and climbed the Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.

Such visits can do a lot of good to the promotion of Tanzania tourism, apart  from promoting football, the game that is loved very much in Tanzania.

For one thing, they promote the good image of the country and promote its  tourism sector. For another, they mean that extra dollar earned for the  country’s tourism industry.

 

Think of it this way: When the soccer tourists are in Tanzania they will sleep  and eat in our hotels, travel here and there using our motor vehicles, eat food  grown by our farmers and pay Tanzanians for other services they will need. In  total sum, this will be a lot of money for the country.

 

But this does not end here. If we treat them well, and there is no doubt about  this given the reputation of Tanzanians the world over, these soccer kings will  be the country’s good ambassadors when they go back home.

 

The result of all this will, no doubt, be a boost to the country’s image that  would translate into increased tourist inflows. We could therefore see more  foreigners being attracted to visit Tanzania.

 

What is required is for the country to exploit such visits and treat our guests  very well. We commend the organisers of the Real Madrid soccer team’s tour, for  we understand that the team also expects to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation  Area and Mount Kilimanjaro.

 

Of course, Tanzania expects to benefit a great deal from the legends’ visit for  it will go a long way to supplement the country’s efforts in promoting it as a  fabulous tourist destination.

 

This is because famous names quite often provide good public relation  opportunities. There is no doubt that the visit will be reported and aired on  several international media channels. As a result Tanzania will get quite a lot  of publicity during the visit.

 

This is why we are tempted to suggest that the visit by the Spanish soccer team  should not be the end of such visits, but only the beginning of more. We  suggest that arrangements be made to invite other soccer giants from Europe,  Latin America and other parts of the world.

 

For such visits will not only inspire Tanzania’s soccer players, but also  promote the country’s tourism sector.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN