Museums, heritage visitors up tenfold
THE number of visitors touring museums and heritage sites has increased tenfold in the past three years, thanks to the government efforts in marketing tourism attractions in the country.
Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Dr Pindi Chana said in Dar es Salaam on Saturday the efforts being made by the government have increased the number of visitors from 70,000 in 2019 to 700,000 in 202021/2022.
Inaugurating the National Museums of Tanzania (NMT) Board of Directors, she said the achievement has greatly been contributed by President Samia’s Royal Tour documentary which has not only boosted safari destination visitors but also those visiting museums and heritage sites.
According to her, Tanzania, through NMT sites, received about 700,000 local and foreign visitors in the said period, which increased from about 70,000 visitors who went to learn about Tanzania’s cultural heritage in different museums.
The minister said that it was therefore the right time for NMT’s governing board to push forward the plans in place and find ways of ensuring that the rich historical artifacts kept by the national museums and heritages are used to generate more earnings through increased visitations, creating jobs for many Tanzanian youths.
On his part, NMT’s Managing Director Dr Noel Lwoga, said that the increasing number of visitors has also boosted the earnings to 500m/- in the past financial year from around 300m/- recorded in the previous financial year.
“This is a ground breaking with higher earnings since NMT was established in 1980,” he said.
Dr Luoga further detailed that more domestic tourists, especially primary, secondary and college students were leading visitors to the heritage and cultural sites.
“The Royal Tour film has revived and promoted the growth of the museum sector in the country, especially after being hit by the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
He pledged to work under the guidance of the new board of directors to attract more visitors and earnings, while also making sure that the current generations get a chance to learn about cultural heritage.
The launched NMT board is chaired by Dr Oswald Masebo, an academician from the University of Dar es Salaam and other six members who will serve for the term of three years starting September 21, 2022.
“NMT carries the soft power and spiritual strength behind the unity and oneness of more than 125 tribes forming a vigorous Tanzania nation. It has a lot of spiritual meaning and therefore it is high time that we honored and cherished our museums and used them to lift up our economy, said Dr Masebo.
Museum and House of Culture, Village Museum (both in Dar es Salaam), National Natural History Museums, Arusha Declaration Museum(both in Arusha), Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere Museum in Mara Region are part of the sites being marketed by NMT. Others are MajiMaji War Memorial Museum as well as Dr Mfaume Rashid Kawawa Museum in Songea Ruvuma region.
Meanwhile, NMT will soon start digital exhibition with the aim of saving time of visitors at different museums in the country.
Recently, NMT’s Director for Museums and House of Culture Mr Achiles Bufure revealed plans to launch digital exhibitions where part of the artifacts will be recorded in documentary formats so that they can be easily played on TV stations and placed on online media platforms with the aim of enticing visitors through such viewership.
Mr Bufure explained further that going digital will attract more cultural tourism and grant an opportunity for Tanzanians to learn and benefit from their past history.
“These initiatives aim at complimenting President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts of creating more jobs and promoting business through uplifting earnings from the tourism sector,” he said.
