Prayer tourism opens opportunities at Lake Duluti

ARUSHA: THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism has urged the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to continue attracting local and foreign investors to develop tourism attractions as the country prepares to leverage opportunities from AFCON 2027.

Committee Chairperson Timotheo Paul Mnzava made the call during an inspection of tourism infrastructure projects at Lake Duluti Forest Reserve, where members reviewed government efforts to upgrade facilities and boost the attraction’s appeal.

“We call upon the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to continue creating a more favourable environment for the private sector to help improve tourism infrastructure so our destinations remain attractive, especially as we prepare for AFCON,” Mr Mnzava said.

The committee also commended the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) for improving infrastructure within the reserve and urged authorities to use social media and public figures to promote the natural attraction more aggressively.

Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Hamad Hassan Chande said the government would continue marketing emerging tourism destinations, including expanding prayer tourism at Lake Duluti, which has become a destination for visitors seeking worship and spiritual retreats.

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According to academicians and tourism scholars, prayer tourism is generally understood as a form of religious or spiritual tourism in which travellers visit sacred sites, shrines, or pilgrimage destinations primarily for acts of worship, prayer and devotion.

It is a subset of religious tourism (also called faith tourism) and often overlaps with pilgrimage tourism.

The deputy minister said the reserve combines natural scenery with religious activities, creating opportunities to attract both domestic and international visitors while increasing foreign exchange earnings.

“Prayer tourism is an area with enormous potential to increase revenue and create jobs because faith inspires people to travel repeatedly for worship and spiritual activities,” Mr Chande said.

Mr Chande invited local and foreign investors to expand accommodation, recreation and other tourism services around the lake, saying such investments would broaden tourism activities and create employment opportunities for young people.