Tanzania to promote tourism through its embassies
By JAFFAR MJASIRI, 4th March 2011 @ 12:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 106
TANZANIA has finalized arrangements to reinstate tourism desks in its embassies around the world.
Speaking to journalists on Friday in Dar es Salaam after opening the first Tanzania Tourist Board's stakeholders meeting to deliberate on the new proposed brand destination, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Mr Ezekiel Maige said that his ministry has already secured some funds to support the desk officers in the embassies abroad.
"Any marketing needs strong brand, which after detailed research the experts have come up with the proposed brand: Tanzania Feel Great with Friends which is going to be discussed. However, in the past the country did not have a brand but slogans, such as the land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Serengeti," he noted.
He observed that the meeting will enable experts in tourism and stakeholders attending a one-day meeting, to share ideas and give their views on whether to adapt the new brand or not.
Mr Maige also said that the meeting will advise other areas that need improvement in order to strengthen the country's marketing strategies in promoting tourism around the world.
"The process of having a brand in place will take a year, as it had taken time for the strategy to take off," he said.
"This is an opportunity for the informal and formal sector in tourism to network and learn various issues which will help in increasing the frequency of promotion of tourism in the country and other tourism development opportunities," he said.
Speaking on the outcome of the seminar which was organized for Tanzanian ambassadors to Asia recently in the country, the minister said that there were strategies drawn on the importance of promoting tourism in Asia.
"The ambassadors have been given objectives and goals to accomplish in their respective areas in terms of promoting tourism and its attractions," he stated.
Mr Maige said that the ministry will continue to organize similar seminars for other envoys stationed in other parts of the world.
According to him, in order to expand tourism activities in the country, the government has continued to put more effort and concentrate on tourist circuits that have infrastructures in place, such as Arusha, Morogoro and Mwanza.
"We continue to focus on Southern Highlands where soon the Songwe International Airport which is in its finals touches, will soon start operating," he said.
Other attractions are in Tanga where the caves at Amboni heritage site can be easily accessible due to good roads, he noted.
When asked to comment on the opportunities emerging following political crisis in Egypt which used to be a famous tourist destination, he said that Tanzania can take advantage of the situation to promote its brand.
He cautioned that any negative information in regards to the stability of the country circulated around the world will discourage tourists to visit the country.
"It can at times lead to investors pulling out their investment, which will have adverse effect to the country's image and economy," he said.
The minister also hailed the co-operation that exists between the ministry and other stakeholders in a bid to promote tourism in the country.
Speaking to this paper, the Treasurer of Tourism Confederation of Tanzania, Ms Zamzam Mtanda noted that there was every indication that the government was committed to promote tourism in the country.
She praised efforts by the government to promote public-private-partnership in the country, saying that it was going to lay down a roadmap to create a win-win situation between the two, especially on issues of levies and taxes.
In his remarks on the importance of the stakeholders meeting, the Chairman of Kibo Travel Bureau, Mr Aloyce Kimaro said that it was important to meet today (yesterday) to define strategies in streamlining the tourist activities in the country.
"Through such deliberations it will enable the Tourism stakeholders to join hands in drawing strategies that will help to improve services to satisfy the tourists by rendering quality services," he added.
On her part, TTB Senior Public Relations Officer Ms Mdachi said that the ministry had continued to collaborate with the Board by helping them to woo tourists through various exhibitions that take place in foreign countries.
"We continue sending flyers and other brochures to the embassies so that they can distribute them to those coming to the embassy seeking information about Tanzania," she noted.
Also the embassies using their websites have also been instrumental in promoting tourism attractions in the country, added Ms Mdachi.