A QUESTION was asked on Blog called TripAdvisor on the Caves of
Amboni. The question was, "Did you know about the Amboni caves in
Tanga?" and that was on Jan 24, 2012.
0The answers were quite interesting. One responded that "You are
quite right Tanga is also a very good destination and the Amboni caves
Wow! I just think like you said the power of advertising, because I can
almost guarantee you there's a lot of tour companies and overseas agents
that have never heard about the caves,".
Another one said, "Yes! But as you have found out a lot of agents
don't look further east than Moshi." Tanga's attractions have in general
escaped attention from many tourists and tourist operators.. However,
the history of Tanga, a former German military post that gave the
country her name Tanganyika is awe-inspiring and a worthy subject of
tourist destinations.
Tanga was chosen in 1889 as a military post for German East Africa,
and became a district office in 1891. Looking on its rich historical
past, one could agree that the region could become a major tourist
destination.
It has, however, had to live under the shadows of the great, famed
Northern Circuit, which takes the lion's share when it comes to tourism;
the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro, Manyara and Ngorongoro, are but a few
tourist destinations that have given the area its fame. After
successfully hosting the second International Trade Fair,
Tanga is heeding to calls of "awakening," to market such attractions
as the biodiversity rich East Usambara Rain Forests and awe-inspiring
Amboni Caves to make her own tourism symbol.
The city is now bracing itself for hosting a Grand Tourism Fair
towards the end of this year aiming at promoting tourist opportunities
available in the region.
The Tourism Fair would be organised jointly by the Tanzania Chamber
of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) and the Tanga City Council
(TCC). According to the TCCIA- Tanga Chairman, Paul Bwoki, the Tourism
Fair scheduled for the first week of December, aims to showcase
available opportunities for leisure and investment.
"Our aim is to make Tanga an important link in the Northern Tourist
Circuit," said Bwoki adding that the region has so many tourist
opportunities it could showcase including cultural tourism, heritage and
marine tourism, among others.
Mr Bwoki said the fair whose theme is "Leisure with sustainable
conservation of culture and heritage, environment, marine and endangered
species -Tanga is the destination", would showcase animal/safari
tourism opportunities and travel operators The TCCIA Executive
Secretary, Mr Charles Hoza said that the TCCIA aims at hosting four
major Fairs every year, namely Agricultural, the International Trade
Fair, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Fair and the Tourism Fair.
Tanga boasts of famous Amboni caves, the most extensive limestone
caves in East Africa located 8 km north of Tanga, off the Tanga- Mombasa
road. The pristine caves covering an area of 234 km² were formed about
150 million years ago during the Jurassic age. According to researchers
the area was under water some 20 million years ago.
There are 10 caves, with fascinating chambers; the longest being
about 900m long. One of the caves is used for guided tours but new ones
have been developed with some being up to 13 meters high.
There are such exotic structures including rocks in the shape of
sofa, a ship, a crocodile, an elephant, Statue of Liberty and head of a
male lion and the map of Africa at the entrance.
One cavern was allegedly used as a hide out by a famous Pre-Uhuru
pair of "Robin Hoods" during the 1950s Mau Mau insurrection in Kenya
(Osale Otango and Paulo Hamis) who according to locals, used to rob from
the Europeans and give to the Africans.
The caves have religious significance to the local people (and even
political leaders according to eyewitnesses) who pray and make offerings
in one of the shrines. "Locals believe a fertility god lives in them,
and offerings are usually left for the deity," according to one of the
two Conservators, Jumanne Gekora.
The caves attract tourists as well as students for their geography
lessons. The attractions include bat flight (flying foxes), which live
in the caves. Every evening at sunset they fly out of the caves'
entrance.
A visit to the caves has now become a tradition for many people in
Tanga for training seminars, conferences and other gatherings apart from
foreigners.
Over 70 visitors have been recorded to visit the caves every day and
they are charged Sh. 1,000 for internal visitors and USD 11.9 for
foreigners.
Other interesting tourist attractions Tanga could offer include the
Pangani Slave Trade buildings, the East Usambara Mountain Forests where
two nature reserves, Amani and Nilo are located, the Tongoni Ruins and
the Marine Park where the rare pre-historic coelacanth fish has a home.
"We would like the world to know what Tanga can offer in terms of
tourism attractions,' Bwoki pointed out. Elaborating on the reasons for
organising the tourism fair, the TCCIATanga Executive Secretary, Charles
Hoza said that tourism was not properly addressed during the second
Tanga International Trade Fair, which set aside three days for Sisal,
Dairy and Tourism Industries.
"We successfully held the sisal and dairy industries days but
tourism, which has so many opportunities in the region, was not properly
treated," said Hoza.
He said that the Tourism Fair would involve be divided into the
National Parks/Safari Tourism, Tour operators and Travel Agents Day, A
Cultural and Heritage Day and a Hospitality Industry and Financial
Institutions Day. He added that there would be prizes to best winning
participants.
According to categories to be set by the organisers. Several
initiatives have been taken to raise the status of tourism in the region
including improving ecotourism programmes.
The East Usambara Forest Landscape Restoration Project earmarked four
sites among the 18 village land forest reserves covering 1041hectares
that have been established under since 2004 for establishment of camping
sites that would be used by eco-cultural tourists.
The Tanga Cultural & Heritage Tourism Cluster Initiative, which
is under the TCCIA has prepared a short 30 - 45 minutes, 3D Documentary
Film aiming at publicizing the cultural, heritage archaeological and
geological attractions of the region.
"The documentary would help in efforts by the cluster in branding
Tanga as a Tourist destination because it has a significant, valuable
and unique built heritage in its historical area," said Hoza.
Speaking on challenges, the TCCIA Chairman, however spoke of the need
for the Tanga community to change their mindsets to improvecustomer
care in the various institutions and especially the hospitality
industry.
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