Fastjet supports Tanzania promotion

TAXING: The carrier recently announced two new routes between Kilimanjaro and Mwanza, and Kilimanjaro and Entebbe, with fares for as modest as $20 and $50 respectively

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – A move to launch $1.5 million special campaign aimed to enhance awareness of Tanzania as a tourism destination has been highly praised by stakeholders. 

The stakeholders, among them is an airline that told East African Business Week in Dar es Salaam last week that a boost to tourism is good news for the country’s local business.

Fastjet’s General Manager for East Africa Jimmy Kibati said its airline supports the rebranding of the Destination Tanzania project.

The low-cost pan-African airline has applauded Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu, for launching the $1.5 Million Rebranding for Global Audience.

The campaign will enhance the awareness of Tanzania as a tourism destination to a wider global audience with the goal of attracting at least 2.5 million tourists a year for the next five years.

Tourists travelling via Dar es Salaam can choose from a wide variety of attractions to visit, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and several magnificent national parks.

Fastjet’s network within Tanzania offers them the means to fly safely and affordably across Tanzania, allowing them to experience the many highlights on offer.

The airline continues to provide affordable, reliable and safe travel for passengers.

The carrier recently announced two new routes between Kilimanjaro and Mwanza, and Kilimanjaro and Entebbe, with fares for as modest as $20 and $50 respectively.

“The Minister and the department work hard to promote Tanzania as a tourist destination and we value their efforts to remind people that Tanzania offers a wealth of natural resources, cultural and lifestyle holidays for visitors,” Kibati said.

He said; “Air transport contributes to increasing tourism into Tanzania and fastjet is committed to providing air travel that is affordable, reliable and safe for tourists from within Tanzania and from abroad.”

Fastjet Tanzania operates internationally between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia, Entebbe in Uganda and Harare in Zimbabwe.

It also has a significant Tanzanian domestic network with flights between Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya, as well as to Zanzibar in collaboration with Coastal Aviation. 

The government recently announced a $1.5 million tourism rebranding project to film and produce television commercials that will run on global networks like CNN and the BBC.

According to Minister Nyalandu, the Re-branding Destination Tanzania project is expected to result in an increase in the number of tourists’ entering the country with a goal of attracting at least 2.5 million tourists per year in the next five years. He said the US-based Pursuit Production is currently filming tourist attractions in Zanzibar, the Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro Crater, among others.

The minister said he is optimistic that the advertisements would boost tourist arrivals. He went on to point out that once filming has been completed, Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete will preview the advertisements before the scheduled launch slated for next month.

The tourism sector currently represents nearly 3.4% of the total GDP of Tanzania and employs approximately 500,000 Tanzanians.

In 2013, a total of 1,135,884 tourists visited Tanzania bringing earnings from the Tanzania tourism sector to an historical high of $1.8 billion. According to a recently released World Bank report, the country’s tourism industry could generate as much as $ 16 billion by 2025, which would lead to even more job creation and increased revenues over the next 10 years.

By Leonard Magomba, Sunday, April 12th, 2015