NMB Bank over the weekend handed over a dummy cheque worth 20m/- to the National College of Tourism (NCT) as part of its commitment to support tourism sector capacity development across the country.
The bank’s support compliments NCT’s strategy seeking to enhance value addition in the tourism sector as part of the efforts to improve the sector’s competitiveness.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held in Dar es Salaam, the NMB Bank Chief Human Resources Officer Emmanuel Akonaay said the bank is committed to support development of tourism sector because of its contribution to the country’s economy.
“We are today handing over 20m/- that will help in capacity building for players in the tourism value chain including immigration officers, hoteliers, transport industry among others. It is our hope that this training programme will be a catalyst to development of an effective and competitive tourism sector,” he said.
He added, “We have already engaged a number of players in the tourism industry and our digital systems ensure that tourists get financial services including foreign exchange at their convenience. We have installed Point of Sales (POS) machines at tourist centers and tourists can now effect payments using their Mastercards, Visa or Union pay,”.
The Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Pindi Chana during the event thanked the bank for its timely support adding that the tourism sector offers many opportunities in the banking and finance sector.
“We have many tourism hotspots and the tourism sector has so many opportunities that remain unexploited. The sector is a big foreign exchange earner and employs roughly 1.6 million people both directly and indirectly. I take this opportunity to thank NMB for its commitment to support the sector and called upon other finance service providers to support the ministry,” she said.
Ms Chana noted that the government targets five million tourists per annum by 2025 adding that such a target cannot be reached without providing quality services.
“President Samia Suluhu Hassan has already set the tone after launching the ‘Royal Tour’ documentary that showcases the country’s unique tourist potential.
We have begun reaping fruits of the documentary evidenced by the upsurge in tourism numbers in recent months. Players in the tourism sector need to offer quality services and create memorable and unforgettable experiences for the tourists,” she said.
