Over 500 cyclists set for Saadani coastal challenge

DAR ES SALAAM: MORE than 500 cyclists are expected to participate in the Saadani Coastal Cycling Challenge, a sports and tourism event will take place at Saadani National Park in the Tanga region.

The competition is scheduled for December 4 of this year. The event is organised to promote the use of sports for improving health while simultaneously showcasing the country’s tourism attractions, particularly those within and surrounding Saadani National Park.

Speaking recently in Dar es Salaam, Director of Mtembezi Adventures, Samson Samweli, said that the event aims to boost tourism through sports.

“On December 3, there will be a culinary tourism experience and a visit to the Wami River. The cycling race itself will take place on December 4,” he said.

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He explained that the race will start at the Saadani tourism office at Gate 910, proceed to the Zaranyinge Forest via the Mvave Gate, and return to the park’s tourism gate.

Samson noted that 15 per cent of the proceeds from the event will be reinvested in communities surrounding the park, a move intended to ensure local residents derive direct benefits from tourism activities in the area.

For his part, Saadani National Park Senior Officer, Daud Godon, stated that the competition is a new event for the park, expected to boost park revenue and enhance community awareness regarding the attractions found in the area.

“At TANAPA, we highly commend the Director of Mtembezi Adventures, and we welcome various stakeholders to our offices,” he said.

Pangani District Commissioner, Ayubu Sebabili, urged tourism stakeholders to come forward and participate in the competition.

He noted that, “Stakeholder participation would provide an opportunity for self-promotion while contributing to the growth of tourism, environmental conservation and the economies of communities surrounding Saadani National Park.”