Tanapa Projects 500,000 Domestic Tourists in Six Months

By Deus Ngowi

Moshi — The Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) has initiated a six-month campaign through which it targets 500,000 clients in domestic tourism.

Speaking here over the weekend when addressing tourism wardens from Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA), Arusha National Park (ANAPA) and tourism officers from Mkomazi National Park, TANAPA Acting Marketing and Tourism Director, Mr Victor Kitansi, said the new drive will see huge prizes offered to the domestic tourists.

Mr Kitansi said TANAPA was working with tourism agents all over the country to promote internal tourism so Tanzanians' contribution to income from tourism rose from the current two per cent to at least 10 per cent.

He noted that the biggest prize would be a tour to Serengeti National Park or Gombe National Park, as well as being accommodated at a five-star hotel.

He said records showed that in the financial year 2012/13 only 362,217 Tanzanians toured national parks; in 2013/14 there were 426,208, but hastened to add that the figures were inclusive of tour guides, porters and cooks who accompanied the tourists.

In the current campaign, TANAPA was focusing only on tourists. He said the would-be local tourists could do it through tourism agents or going directly to the parks, adding that people spearheading the campaign would also be rewarded.

"We will offer prizes from the second voyage to our parks as we believe the first in itself is a reward. When they visit the parks four times is when they could get the top prize.

TANAPA staff, tourism agents and students who tour in school expeditions would not be counted," said Mr Katansi.

Mr Lauriano Munishi from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, who heads the Northern Zone, hailed TANAPA for the initiative, calling on Tanzanians to tap the opportunity in order to build their nation through fee payments as Indians did in their country. He said they banked on the media for the exercise to succeed.

Kinapa Tourism Warden, Ms Eva Mallya, said the campaign was a great opportunity for locals because the fees were cheaper compared to those charged for foreigners, but wondered why only between four and six per cent of Tanzanians toured KINAPA.

She said artists could record their works in the park and also people could hold festivals such as weddings or anniversaries. TANAPA Tourism Warden, Ms Neema Philipo, said very few Tanzanians hiked Mount Meru, especially students.

She recommended those who wished to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to start with Mount Meru, which had the height of 4,566 metres above sea level.