Why tourism is important to Tanzania

Unlike other segments which have not been spared by the tough economic challenges the country is going through, the tourism industry has witnessed a tremendous boost over the past two years.

This tells us of the resilience within the industry, and the key role it can play towards the attainment the ultimate success of Vision 2025.Even during the weakening of the shilling against other major currencies, the industry has seen a boost in visitors, along with increased revenue, due to the affordability experienced by international tourists travelling to Tanzania.

However, credit must also be given to the exceptional work that has been done by the Tanzania Tourism Board  (TTB) in marketing Tanzania as a destination of choice, along with Air Tanzania, in getting foreign tourists into the country, especially from Tanzania’s biggest source market including  Germany, United Kingdom, USA and Canada just to name a few.

It is for this reason that as government continues to tighten its belt, it should not reach a point where the country reduces its expenditure within the industry which will result in a loss of momentum that has been created over the past few years. What could be of assistance is to continue investing in the sector, as this not only gives the country an opportunity to expose itself to the world, but Tanzania also benefits from the direct foreign exchange that comes with international tourists.

A well-known Tanzanian business person who travelled to overseas on holiday a few years ago, illustrates how further investments into the country can come from tourists. While in that country was pleasantly surprised at how knowledgeable the taxi driver assigned to him was about the tourism industry and investment opportunities within his country.

This interaction with the taxi driver and the hotel manager where he stayed later resulted in him going back to invest in that country.

It is for this reason that we need to invest heavily in customer service and product knowledge. This is not only at the tourism establishments, but at the different points of entry as well. To put it simply, the first impression of any guest is how they are welcomed when they arrive at the airports, or any of the border posts.

This experience creates a lasting impression on how they will perceive Tanzania, and later inform their family and friends about their experience within the country. It is also important that we ensure the safety of the tourists while in the country so that they do not suffer any criminal activities during their stay here.

The future looks bright for the industry. What is critical is for each one of us to keep building on what we have in order to leave a solid foundation for future generations. It would be sad to get to a time when all the beauty we have is destroyed.

That is why we should continue to guard against individuals who want to tamper with this. Lastly, the government deserves credit for its current and future efforts to safeguard our wild animals and environment.