GREAT JOB: President Kikwete gives Dan Friedkins a firm shake in appreciation of their conservation initiative
Recently
the government recognised a private sector initiative to drum up
awareness of the country’s tourism attractions to Americans and
underscore other efforts to promote the sector as a leading foreign
exchange earner.
On average international tourists stay about 10 days in the country spending a total of $1,691(Tsh.3.4 million) per visitor.
Last
week, the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) highly commended US-based
Friedkins Conservation Fund (FCF) for bringing into the economy some
$100 million (Tsh.2 billion) to revamp the tourism sector.
Strategic
Investment Status was awarded to the project at the beginning of
September 2015 through the National Investment Steering Committee
(NISC).
NISC is chaired by the Prime Minister of the United
Republic of Tanzania, Mizengo Peter Pinda. It is direct result of
efforts made by President Jakaya Kikwete and his government to
aggressively promote Tanzania as an ideal destination for foreign direct
investment.
National Investment Steering Committee is a
Committee formed by the government in an effort to improve the business
environment and foster economic growth through increased investment and
it is chaired by the Prime Minister.
So far, the government through the NISC has approved 41 Strategic Investment Projects.
Mrs.
Juliet Kairuki, the Executive Director of Tanzania Investment Centre
(TIC) stated that the positive sentiments demonstrated by American
initiative through the Friedkins Family Conservation Fund.
It has
been welcomed by the government which considers private investments both
foreign and local as the engine of growth for the country.
She
further stated that this was the second award of Strategic Investor
Status in the tourism and wildlife conservation sector in three years
and that TIC is confident that the pro-investment efforts of Minister
Lazaro Nyalandu and his team at the Ministry of Wildlife and Natural
Resources will yield more investments for the country.
With this
investment come with some new employment opportunities, wildlife
conservation, tourism development, rural community development,
infrastructure development, and innovation in areas that are currently
attracting insufficient numbers of tourists such as the Western Tourism
Corridor.
Importantly, where there is a scarcity of wildlife,
the investment will seek to introduce photographic and cultural tourism
as means of luring resources to these areas.
In addition to
investing, FCF will work closely with the Wildlife Division of Tanzania,
in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism on anti-poaching
initiatives and will continue to sponsor and manage a Geographic
Information System (GIS) for mapping and research to compliment
anti-poaching efforts.
The investment by FCF comes immediately
after a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
entitled “Enhancing Linkages between the Tourism and Sustainable
Agriculture sectors” in the United Republic of Tanzania reveals that
tourism and organic agriculture can help the country significantly in
reducing rural poverty.
The report, is based on a pro-poor tourism
analysis, and looks at ways of generating net benefits for the poor,
including unlocking opportunities by building a more supportive policy
and planning framework.
Touting engagement of the private sector
through pro-poor partnerships by providing jobs to local people and
purchasing local agricultural products, the report adds that poor
people’s food and beverages benefit from tourists spending.
‘Tourism
is a notable source of income for Tanzania. On average, international
tourists stay about 10 days in the country, spending a total of $1,691
(Tsh.3.4 million) per visitor,,’ the report reads in part.
The
report disclosed that lodging, food and beverage sectors together
account for about 20% of tourism-related income in the country which
represents a large opportunity for pro-poor businesses because organic
agricultural products are in high demand by tourists and often provide
price-premiums to producers.
The FCF offers training, equips and
employs 120 full-time field based rangers who work under the guidance of
two micro light pilots, five concession managers and two mobile
anti-poaching coordinators in the field.
It’s the wildlife that this country is endowed with that attracts foreign tourists who bring in foreign currency.
“Tourism
is currently the highest foreign currency earners for the country, a
major employer of thousands of Tanzanians both in urban and rural
areas,” remarked Nyalandu, Tanzania’s Minister of Natural Resources and
Tourism.
According to Nyalandu more than one million tourists
visited the country last year all this attributed to world-class tourist
attractions including Mount Kilimanjaro, the wildebeest migration in
Serengeti National Park and the warm sandy beaches of Zanzibar.
The
Bank of Tanzania Monthly Economic Review for February 2015 indicates
that tourism is now the leading foreign exchange earner, outshining gold
exports, whereas in January, export performance for the country’s
travel industry reached over $2.04 billion (Tsh.4 trillion), up from
$1.897 billion (3.8 trillion) in the previous year, a growth of 7.8%.
Like
the other Partner States of the East African Community, Tanzania
continues to step up moves to encourage more tourists to visit the
country.
This has also included holding talks with major airlines
to offer convenient flights schedules and reduced time spent in transit.
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