About Tanzania
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, is focused on wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism, with approximately 28 % of the land protected by the Government. It boasts 15 National Parks and 33 game reserves. It is the home of the tallest mountain in Africa, the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro; The Serengeti, named in October, 2006, the New 7th Wonder of the World by USA Today and Good Morning America; the world acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, often called the 8th Wonder of the World; Olduvai Gorge, the Cradle of Mankind: the Selous, the world's largest game reserve; Ruaha, now expected to be the largest National Park.
TOURISM NOW IS NUMBER ONE ECONOMIC SECTOR
Park in Africa; the Spice Islands of Zanzibar; and seven world Heritage Sites.
Most important for tourism, the Tanzanian people are warm and friendly, speak English, although Kiswahili is the national language, and the country is an oasis of peace and stability with a democratic and stable government.
While
Tanzania’s famous northern circuit national parks, Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Selous
Game Reserve, and of course Zanzibar, comprising of the islands of Unguja and
Pemba, are well known abroad and need little explanation, this more distant
location has always been a speciality destination for tourists.
Those
who ever made their way, by air or by boat, to Mafia Island, have tall tales to
tell. Excellent diving grounds along the reefs surrounding the island,
rewarding snorkeling trips, endless empty beaches with no beach boy pests
bothering the visitors, good fishing, and an intact nature rarely found today,
make up some of the attractions tourists enjoy and come back for. Ruins of
ancient settlements dating back to the 11th century give an insight into the
history of Mafia, which, while at one time part of the Kilwa Sultanate, changed
hands multiple times among major seafaring powers that ruled the world at one
time or another.
Located
about a hundred miles south of Dar es Salaam and only a few miles off the
mainland, almost opposite the Rufiji River delta, the small archipelago of
Mafia is one of Tanzania’s best-kept secrets. Some 50 kilometers long and at
the widest point just 15 kilometers across, the island is almost entirely
surrounded by a massive barrier reef teeming with marine life, and half of the
island’s shoreline extends into a marine national park. While an airstrip
allows for daily flights to the mainland and telecommunications allow to stay
in touch with the rest of the world, a trip to Mafia is also a trip back into
time, and as such, a marvel waiting to be explored.
TOURISM IS NOW TANZANIA'S LEADING
ECONOMIC SECTOR
Earning $1 billion (USD), Tourism
Overtakes Agriculture
Growing at a steady rate for the past
seven years, Tanzania's tourism is booming. According to the Governor of the
Bank of Tanzania, Prof. Benno Ndulu, Tourism, earning $1 billion USD, now
contributes nearly triple the GDP of Agriculture, which has been the leading
contributor to the East African country's coffers for most of its history.
According to the Honorable Mme. Shamsa S. Mwangunga, Tanzania's Minister of
Natural Resources & Tourism, "Estimates are that more than 750,000
tourists are expected to arrive in the country this year, bringing in about
$950 million dollars. We attribute this growth to several factors, not
the least of which is that Tanzania has a stable and peaceful environment with
a democratically elected government.
TOURISM- TANZANIA SUCCESS STORY
Increased air access, with many carriers
now flying direct to Tanzania, new luxury hotels on the Mainland and Zanzibar,
improved infrastructure and tarmac roads on safari circuits are also major
factors contributing to Tanzania tourism's success story.
Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director,
Tanzania Tourist Board, noted that these improvements together with
the diversification of the tourism product adds to the existing allure of
Tanzania's unsurpassed wildlife, seven World Heritage Sites, the cultural
richness and friendliness of Tanzania's people, miles of beautiful Indian Ocean
coastline and the exotic spice Islands of Zanzibar. "Over the last
10 years, Tanzania has become a stand-alone destination. In the past, many tour
operators to East Africa offered Tanzania as an add-on or extension to other
countries. Now, there is such a great demand by clients to spend their entire
time in Tanzania, that the same tour operators offer more than one Tanzania-only
itinerary. Recently they have even expanded their programs to include the
lesser known Southern Circuit where visitors can explore the world famous
Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park. Recently, it was announced that
Ruaha will be combined with the adjacent Usangu Game Reserve, making it the
largest National Park in Africa."
BRAND TANZANIA: THE LAND OF KILIMANJARO,
ZANZIBAR AND THE SERENGETI
Tanzania as a brand is acquiring
wide and respected recognition in the past few years, so it comes as no
surprise that America is now the leading source of visitors to Tanzania's Game
Parks. In October 2006, Serengeti National Park was named the Seventh New
Wonder of the World by ABC-TV's Good Morning America and USA Today.
Zanzibar was on the New York Times Travel Section's "Places to Go" in
2007. Kilimanjaro made the same list for 2008 as well as the USA Today 2008
List of "must see" destinations. Even the popular
American movie, The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan
Freeman, included a "Safari in Tanzania" as one of the
10 "must do's" before one "kicks the bucket."
In an effort to reinforce Brand Tanzania
with the American travelers as well as Travel Industry professionals in the US,
Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) launched a two-prong campaign. Targeting the
consumer in September, 2007, TTB inaugurated a TV campaign, its first-ever,
which aired on CNN, CHLN, CNN Airport, and CNN.com.
According to Amant Macha, TTB Marketing
Director, "we have had a great demand from American agents for a Tanzania
Travel Specialist program. With this in mind, TTB initiated a "Tanzania
Travel Specialist" course of study with Travel Agent University. The
response was overwhelming, with more than 500 travel agents passing the test
and qualifying as Tanzania Specialists in the first four months of the course
offering."
