PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts to promote Tanzania through the Royal Tour Film have continued to yield positive results as more tourists have continued to arrive in the country.
This is after another ship christened Le Jacques Cartier Ponant from France anchored on the beach of the historic town of Kilwa with 110 tourists on board.
Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mohamed Mchengerwa said the tourists were received with pomp, with traditional dancers garnishing the event.
Mchengerwa said the tourists had the opportunity to visit and see the Cultural Heritage Park of Ancient Ruins, Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara Tower as well as beach tourism.
“It is the aim of the government to join forces with Zanzibar to promote various tourist attractions in our lovely country,” he said.
The minister said that in one week Tanzania has already received more than 400 tourists who visited Kilwa.
Other cruise vessels which have already docked in Kilwa include the luxury tourist ship named Coral Geographer from Australia which brought 120 tourists on March 7, this year, with another vessel expected to dock in the waters of Kilwa next week on March 14th with 138 tourists on board.
One of the tourists who arrived aboard the ‘Le Jacques Cartier Ponant’ congratulated the government for improving the tourism sector, saying most of them had to rely on the Caribbean to witness such natural beauty.
“I am glad to see that the Tanzanian coastline is not polluted, it still boasts of natural breathtaking scenery which is difficult to see in other parts of the world. I did not expect to see these heavenly sights, including all the seven species of mangroves in the coral reefs, I promise to come back,” he said.
To further boost the tourism sector in the country, Minister Mchengerwa said that soon his ministry will launch a new modern ship owned by the government through Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA).
He said the bottom of the boat is made with glasses with special lenses that will enable tourists to view marine creatures under the ocean.
He said the boat has been made by native Tanzanians through the Songoro Marine Transport Ltd Company and is capable of taking about 50 tourists at a time.
“We thank the President for giving us the funds for the acquisition of this boat of international standards, and we believe that she will continue opening up the country so that more tourists can continue to flock in,” said the minister.
He said that the government of Tanzania is determined to reach more than 5 million tourists which will put 6 million US dollars in the national coffers by 2025.
