Tanzania: Tourism Marketing Must Go Beyond Traditional Pool

THE Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) Director General, Mr Allan Kijazi, was recently quoted saying that local institutions were not doing well in marketing the country's tourist attractions.

Mr Kijazi made the remarks at a tourism college graduation ceremony and did not mince words by admitting that some hotel owners and other entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry were not happy with the local labour force.

As a result, the Tanapa chief pointed out, more skilled foreigners; especially from the neighbouring Kenya, now man many hotels and lodges in the country because of the dearth of competitive local human resources.

The official rightly underscored the need for aggressive plans to train the local manpower to operate hotels and other entities in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Tanzania is blessed with many tourist attractions including those in the list of top world wonders the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Africa's highest mountain, the Kilimanjaro. Paradoxically, what the nation earns from tourism is not congruent to the available natural resources.

There are some countries that have little or nothing to show other than a few and polluted beaches and even deserts but are still better off. It is hoped that relevant authorities are going to take note of the concern raised by the Tanapa chief and step up efforts in promoting tourism and deliver on hospitality services at international standards.

And since charity always begins at home, Tanapa itself must be seen more serious in promoting tourist attractions in every corner of the country instead of concentrating on a few areas.

More efforts must be seen in promoting attractions in remote places like Gombe, Mahale, Udzungwa and Katavi instead of giving excessive publicity to the so-called northern circuit covering the Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and Serengeti.

It is also expected that relevant authorities are going to invest heavily in training hotel staff in many areas to produce well groomed cadres rather than the half-backed ones.

Marketing must also go beyond traditional markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France to new frontiers like China, Japan and the Gulf. This can be done because the country has a lot to offer to everyone.