MUGUMU Airport is set to create direct benefit to tourism and
community development, and at the same time develop air access to
Serengeti National Park.
A statement issued on Saturday by Singita Grumeti Managing Director
Mr Graham Ledger said access to the remote camps in the Serengeti has
been challenging and has been seen as a significant deterrent to
well-heeled travellers keen to experience an authentic East African
safari.
He added that Mugumu airstrip initiative has already been given the
thumbs up by Tanzania government as well as TANAPA (Tanzania National
Parks) and conservation bodies.
Mr Ledger noted that recent articles in the local and global press
have indicated a significantly more ambitious project than the one
envisaged.
"The 1400m Mugumu airstrip will not compete with the much larger Kilimanjaro and Mwanza International Airports.
It will be designed to facilitate convenient tourism access to the
Western Serengeti and will only be suitable for small and mid-size
Turboprop aircraft," he said.
Currently, safari operators in the area utilize the Seronera airstrip situated in the heart of the Serengeti National Park.
Mugumu is located well outside the Serengeti, therefore it provides a more sustainable eco-tourism alternative.
According to the statement, the investment in local infrastructure
will have significant economic benefits for the impoverished communities
on the western fringe of the Serengeti, creating jobs and generating
revenue as a result of increased tourism activities.
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