Summary: With popular attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro and the archipelago of Zanzibar, Tanzania is home to some of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations. Tourism is the main foreign exchange earner for the Tanzanian economy; an estimated 2 million visitors contribute 2 billion dollars to the country’s coffers each year. The sector is also one of the fastest growing industries in Tanzania. A new report by The World Bank Group finds that a greater emphasis on diversifying tourist destinations, a stronger focus on community integration, and a more transparent governance approach could yield an even greater economic dividend in the coming years. Jacques Morriset, a lead economist at The World Bank Group in Tanzania, authored the Tanzania Economic Update 6, titled, “The Elephant in the Room, Unlocking the Potential of the Tourism Industry in Tanzania.” “You need to diversify in terms of what tourists are likely to see in Tanzania. Right now, all the tourists are coming to two locations – Zanzibar, and the National Park surrounding Arusha in the north of the country.” After scrutinizing Tanzania’s tourism industry data, Morisset contends that the country could easily expand to offer more than just the beautiful National Parks or beaches for tourists. “Most of the tourists are very high hand tourists, in that they are ready to spend quite a lot of money to go to National Parks. We believe that Tanzania is so big, that you can do different kind of tourism in different kind of locations.” Diversification within the sector has other positive impacts for the local community. The report finds that local inclusion could enhance the historical and cultural tourism. The Hotel Association of Tanzania, which was established in 2008, is a non-profit working to enhance tourism in the country. Board member Jeroen Hardewijk: “You have to make strategic decisions on how you position the destination. Mass tourism has a bad connotation for most of us, and you want to be a bit careful going entirely that route. However, having said that, having a well-positioned, diverse product offering in your destination would be a good thing for the operator definitely as well.” While branding is vital, Hardewijk says physical infrastructure and also attracting international airlines are both vital for growth. Currently some of the neighboring countries, most notably Kenya, attract a lot of the intercontinental flights. Improving that would be really helpful.” Lathifa Sykes, who is Chief Executive Officer of the Hotel Association, makes some strong claims about tourism growth with support from the private sector. “Tanzania private sector believes that we can double the growth rate of Tanzania tourism by 2025. Tanzania is one of the most reserves of fresh water, one of the largest wild life numbers and a good track record in quality tourism.”
