Tanzania tasks TFS to promote ecotourism
MOROGORO: WHILE the government aims to attract five million tourists and generate 6bn US dollars in revenue, the Tanzania Forest Service Agency (TFS) has been cited as having the potential to be a key enabler in achieving this goal through conservation-conscious ecotourism.
This was stated by Ibrahim Mussa, Retired Marketing Director at Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), while presenting a paper on Opportunities, Challenges and Trends of TFS Ecotourism on the second day of the Fourth TFS Centre Leaders and Commanders Conference currently underway in Morogoro.
Mussa, who has served the natural resources sector since 1982 at various levels within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, said statistics in recent years show significant growth in tourism within forest reserves, explaining that TFS is a “sleeping giant” that needs to be strategically awakened.
According to the figures he presented, the number of visitors has increased from 59,606 in 2020/21 to 152,954 by mid-2023/24, with the 2024/25 target of reaching 500,000 visitors. Revenue has also increased from 154.9m/- to 1.27bn/- during the same period, targeting 3bn/-.
He explained that the global trend requires institutions to move away from relying solely on timber and honey revenues and move towards integrated sources that focus on sustainable conservation, sustainable use of resources, and stakeholder engagement.
“Ecotourism is not just entertainment; it is a tool to strengthen the green economy, protect biodiversity and conduct conservation diplomacy,” he said, referring to TFS strategies and the national forest policy.
He outlined the opportunities opened up by government regulations, including Government Proclamation No. 132 of 2025 on recreation in forest reserves and amendments to the regulations on investment in eco-tourism infrastructure, saying they have created a friendly environment for investors to invest in eco-lodges and environmentally friendly services.
Among the attractive areas he cited were Amani Nature Reserve, Pugu-Kazimzumbwi Forest Reserve, Magamba Forest Reserve and Minziro Forest Reserve, emphasizing that they have ecological characteristics that can attract specific tourist markets seeking an unspoiled nature experience.
However, he warned of the challenges facing the sector, including invasive plants, the effects of climate change, border conflicts, and the pressure to increase the number of tourists without measuring the impact on ecosystems.
“It is easy to measure money and the number of visitors, but it is difficult to measure conservation success. Let us not find ourselves falling into the ‘niche trap’ without knowing what level of eco-tourism quality we are at,” he stressed.
In his recommendations, he called for TFS to brand itself as a leader in green tourism, improve data collection and processing, use modern marketing techniques including segmentation and positioning, as well as expand the use of technology such as drones in marketing and tourist safety.
He also stressed the importance of neighbouring communities benefiting from tourism projects to strengthen resource protection, with the private sector being given greater opportunity to invest in infrastructure instead of institutions carrying the heavy burden of capital.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, some TFS leaders said the topic had opened a broader debate on how to reconcile revenue goals with the primary responsibility of conservation.
