AN ambitious marketing and tourism promotion strategy aimed at taking tourism to the next level in Southern Tanzania, is expected to be unveiled this morning in Njombe Region, it was learnt on Sunday.
Speaking in the margins of the East African Regional Tourism Expo here, an official with Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Colleta Nchimbi said the move was aimed at making Southern Tanzania a powerhouse in the tourism sector.
She said the two documents lined up to be launched include the Tanzania’s Southern Circuit Marketing and Promotion Strategy, which outline a number of steps and activities to be undertaken to publicise the tourism potential in Southern Tanzania.
The second strategy is called Tanzania Cultural Tourism Experiences Marketing Strategy, which is meant to expose the rich cultures of the country including the southern parts.
“The two documents stand to be a roadmap that outlines our strategies aimed at making tourism more meaningful to Tanzania,” she said.
Ms Nchimbi, who is the focal person of the Resilience Natural Resource Management of Tourism and growth (REGROW) at TTB, said the project is being financed by World Bank Group.
In addition to the strategies to be launched today, TTB through the REGROW Project is expected to build a Southern Circuit Marketing Destination Centre at Kihesa Kilolo in Iringa, which will have a conference hall, offices for the public and private sector and Tourism information Centre.
She said current participation of the TTB in East African Regional Tourism Expo in Bujumbura, Burundi was in line with the new Tourism Strategies.
The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Ambassador Dr Pindi Chana (MP) is expected to be the Chief Guest in the launching ceremony.
During her three-day working visit in Njombe Region early in August this year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed the government’s resolve to promote the Southern Circuit with an objective to increase tourists inflow in the country.
She announced the completion of plan to come up with the second phase of the Royal Tour documentary, which aims to showcase the country’s hidden tourist attractions.
The producers, according to the Head of State, have already devised a strategy and come up with the title of the film – ‘The Hidden Tanzania.’
“When I launched the Royal Tour in Arusha, I mentioned that there will be second and third episodes of the documentary. The second episode of the documentary will show the world additional hidden spots in Tanzania,” she said.
President Samia also stated that the Southern Circuit will be extensively included in the second plan.
She asserts that the film will highlight attractions like Kitulo National Park, which is known for the diverse range of attractive flowers and several species of birds that flocks the park each year.
During the public meeting minister Chana told the president that the Southern circuit has also attracted a number of tourists. She said statistics indicated that the number of visitors in Ruaha National Park has increased from 9000 to 13,000 since the launching of Royal Tour film, while in Kitulo National Park the number recorded is not less than 1,200.
She noted that the documentary has also helped to expand market for food commodities.
The minister however said that, her office is implementing the President directives of adding value to forest products. “Currently there are about 4,200 factories for forest products countrywide…we have also beekeeping business in which Njombe alone produces 85, tonnes of honey per year.
She called upon the region residents to continue planting trees noting that 50 per cent of the region population has focused on agriculture and planting trees. She said forest products contribute 40 per cent in the region revenue.
According to the Third Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP III of 2020/2021 to 2025/2026), Tanzania targets to achieve notching an income of 6 billion US dollars (about 14tri/-) from 5,000,000 tourists come 2025.
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