NCAA boosts infrastructure as tourism wins awards

THE Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) Commissioner, Abdul-Razaq Badru, has said that the authority is continuing efforts to improve tourism infrastructure, including roads, payment services, guest accommodations and transport services.

He said the efforts being undertaken in collaboration with the government and various tourism stakeholders aim to enhance service delivery and strengthen the authority’s capacity to accommodate the growing number of tourists visiting the area each year.

Mr Badru told journalists on Sunday, after visiting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism booth at the 49th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), that starting this financial year, they are committed to improving roads and ensuring year-round accessibility.

“Efforts are ongoing to expand accommodation facilities and transport services to meet the growing demand from visitors coming to our attractions annually,” Mr Badru said.

Mr Badru also commended the Ministry for Natural Resources and Tourism and all its affiliated institutions for their commendable efforts in promoting tourism in Tanzania and for winning multiple awards presented by the World Travel Awards (WTA) last month.

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The Commissioner hailed the NCAA for being named Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction for 2025 by the WTA, marking the second time it has received this recognition, following a similar award in 2023.

In a significant milestone in the country’s tourism sector, the country made history after winning 27 out of 60 awards presented at the World Travel Awards (WTA) last month.

The 2025 WTA Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony, a prestigious international event, was held late last month in Dar es Salaam—hosted in the country for the first time since the awards were established in 1993.

In this historic achievement, the government side secured eleven awards, including Best Tourist Attractions, Best Tourism Board in Africa, Best Safari Destination in Africa and Best Airport in Africa.

On the private sector side, various tourism companies, hotels and tourism service providers succeeded in winning 16 awards. These included Best Safari Tour Companies, hotels with top-quality services and hotels with the most attractive beaches that draw tourists from all over the world.

These major achievements have been significantly driven by the efforts of President Samia Suluhu Hassan through various initiatives, including the launch of the Royal Tour documentary that promoted the country’s attractions internationally, increased budget allocation for the tourism sector, improved infrastructure in conservation areas and created a favourable environment for investors.