ZANZIBAR Minister for Tourism and Antiquities, Mr Mohamed Simai has emphasised on promoting culture tourism as Tanzania prepares to host five million visitors in the next two years.
Mr Simai, who was officiating Karibu-Kili Fair tourism expo at the weekend, rooted for cultural tourism as it promotes community pride by allowing people to work together to enhance economic and cultural development through distinct community opportunities.
“Mindful of the opportunities that Royal Tour documentary has come with, it is still important we explore other products in luring more visitors to Tanzania,” he said.
According to the Minister, studies show that travellers are more apt to visit places with a strong community identity.
He noted that Cultural tourism provides values that range from enriching local heritage to acting as a major revenue source for countries around the world.
“Cultural heritage offers tourists opportunities to learn about new and different cultures, thereby broadening their horizons and adding to cultural tolerance,” he noted.
Likewise, Mr Simai challenged the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to remove all obstacles that tour operators face.
According to Mr Simai, tour operators have been contending with multiplicity of taxes, forcing some of them to shutdown business.
In his rejoinder, TRA’s director of tax payers education, Richard Kayombo assured players in the $2billion- a -year sector of a continued support.
More than 400 safari buyers and exhibitors have converged in Arusha for another edition of the Karibu-Kili Fair tourism expo.
The event, considered as East Africa’s largest tourism fair has also attracted more than 500 international travel agents.
The event will also offer an excellent platform for networking and discovering new partners in the fascinating tourism industry of Tanzania where it enables participants to experience the diversity and dynamism of tourism in Tanzania and the entire region firsthand.
