Zara Tanzania adventures invests in tourism police as govt seeks to protect key economic pillar

KILIMANJARO: AS Tanzania’s tourism industry expands into one of the country’s most important sources of foreign exchange and employment, leading tour operator Zara Tanzania Adventures is investing in an often-overlooked asset: the people responsible for ensuring visitors feel safe.

The Kilimanjaro-based company has launched a customer care and tourism awareness programme for 31 Tourism and Diplomatic Police officers drawn from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar, arguing that security in modern tourism extends beyond crime prevention to the quality of interactions visitors have with frontline public officials.

The two-day programme, fully funded by Zara Tanzania Adventures under its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative, combines customer service, tourism economics, cross-cultural communication, hospitality standards and international diplomacy with policing responsibilities.

The investment comes as Tanzania positions tourism as a central pillar of economic growth.

The multibillion dollar industry attracts 2.9 million foreign tourists, contributing close to 17 percent of national GDP, supporting more than 1.6 million jobs and generating 4.4 US dollar billion in foreign exchange annually, according to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT). The industry has recovered strongly from the pandemic, with international visitor spending and tourism’s economic contribution reaching record levels in recent years.

For a country whose tourism appeal ranges from Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti National Park to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Zanzibar’s beaches, industry players say maintaining visitor confidence is becoming as important as marketing wildlife and natural attractions.

“Tourism Police are not only responsible for maintaining law and order, they represent the face of our country,” Zara Tanzania Adventures Founder and Chief Executive Officer Zainab Ansell said during the opening of the programme at the Tanzania Police Academy in Moshi.

“Every positive interaction with a visitor builds confidence, strengthens Tanzania’s reputation, and encourages tourists to return and recommend our destination to others.”

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While Tanzania remains one of Africa’s safest safari destinations, the tourism industry increasingly recognizes that travellers evaluate destinations not only by physical security but also by professionalism, responsiveness and the quality of service they receive throughout their journey.

Industry executives say visitor perceptions are shaped by every interaction—from immigration counters and police officers to hotels, guides and transport providers.

In an era where travel experiences are instantly shared through online review platforms and social media, a single positive or negative encounter can influence future travel decisions.

“The tourism product is no longer limited to wildlife or beaches,” said Hoseana Nyingi, Zara Tanzania Adventures’ Head of IT and Marketing. “Visitors are also buying confidence, reliability and peace of mind. Safety and customer service have become part of destination marketing.”

The training also introduces officers to tourism’s wider economic impact, demonstrating how visitor spending supports hotels, transport companies, restaurants, small businesses and local communities across Tanzania.

For Zara Tanzania Adventures, the programme reflects a broader philosophy of reinvesting in the sector that has underpinned the company’s growth over nearly four decades.

Founded in Moshi, the company has built its business around safari and mountain tourism while expanding its corporate social responsibility portfolio to include education, environmental conservation, community development and women’s economic empowerment. The latest initiative extends that investment to public institutions that underpin Tanzania’s tourism ecosystem.

“We believe in giving back to the industry that has given us so much,” Ansell said. “Investing in the people and institutions that support tourism is investing in Tanzania’s future.”

The programme continues at Springlands Hotel in Moshi, where participants are learning about sustainable tourism, wildlife conservation, environmental stewardship and the importance of collaboration between government agencies and private operators in protecting Tanzania’s tourism assets.

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The training was officially opened by Commissioner of Police Awadhi Haji Awadhi, Commissioner for Operations and Training, and attended by senior police officials including Senior Assistant Commissioner Pudensia Kyaruzi and SACP Ramadhan Mungi, Commandant of the Tanzania Police Academy–Moshi.

Resource persons included Prof. Alex Kisingo, Deputy Rector for Academic, Research and Consultancy at the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka; Dr. Ebenezer Goroi; Dr. Richard Kisasembe; Dr. Noeli Nthangu of the University of Dar es Salaam; and former Korogwe Town MP Dr. Alfred Kimea. The programme was coordinated by Andrew Makang’a who highlighting the growing recognition that destination competitiveness depends not only on conservation and infrastructure, but also on service excellence and visitor confidence.