TANZANIA TOURISM CONTRIBUTES $1.7 BILLION TO THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

More than one million tourists visited Tanzania this year bringing in $ 1.7 billion. This makes the sector a major contributor to the country’s economy, according to Managing Director of Tanzania Tourism Board (TTB)

Dr Aloyce Nzuki, speaking after his presentation during a tourism public lecture held at the Diplomacy College in Dar es Salaam, said the amount would increase as more tourists visit the country.
The board planned to take a new tourism height of two million visitors by 2017, Nzuki said, noting that from next year tourism activities would be operated through funds earned by the sector.
Additionally, TTB has established a new source of revenue known as ‘Tourism Development Lavvy’ whereby $ 1.5 would be added to tourist charges
The money would be used to advertise the sector all over the world and help reduce advertising cost which had hitherto been $750 to for advertising the sector in CNN for a period of six months.
Meanwhile, SafariBookings.com conducted an in-depth analysis of 3,061 reviews of safari tourists and concluded Tanzania as the best safari country of Africa
The overall average rating of Tanzania in both the user and expert reviews is 4.8 out of 5 : the  other highest scores of all 8 major safari countries are Botswana 4.7,   Kenya 4.7, Uganda 4.2, Namibia 4.5,  Zambia 4.6,  South Africa 4.5, Zimbabwe 4.1.
Dr Nzunki said the number of bookings by tourist wishing to visit Tanzania has increased by 50 per cent over the year.
TTB has held talks with Qatar and Turkish airways that would bring in tourists to the country through the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
According to TTB, the increased number of tourists in the country has huge impact because it increases employment opportunities and government revenue.
Tanzania has three safari circuits and each one of them would make Tanzania a top wildlife destination. The popular northern circuit with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater offers one of the best classical safaris in Africa, especially if timed with the annual wildebeest migration.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN 

 21st December 2013