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[h=1]Why TZ wont benefit from Kenya woes[/h]
"If these tourists could stay in East Africa, the whole region would have benefited in one way or another - Laurence Paul, TAOA. PHOTO | FILE
By Veneranda Sumila ,The Citizen Reporter
Posted Wednesday, May 28 2014 at 00:00
In Summary
Our concern is the whole region. If these tourists could stay in East Africa, the whole region would have benefited in one way or another.
Dar es Salaam. Any chances that Tanzanias tourism could gain from the terrorist attacks in Kenya have been dampened by poor marketing skills and the neighbourhood factor, The Citizen has learnt.
Early this month, some Western countries evacuated their citizens from Kenya following what they saw as a fragile security situation caused by a series of Al-Shabab attacks.
The cancellations will cost Kenya $57 million (Sh105 billion).
But while the situation in Kenya could well have been a blessing in disguise for Tanzanias tourism sector, the Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) Director of Tourism and Marketing, Mr Ibrahim Mussa, told The Citizen that tourists generally do not draw a clear line between African countries.
Tourists and their agents in the West are poor in geography and history, Mr Mussa said.
They tend to view us as Africa or East Africa in terms of regional placing for their market purposes, so it is difficult to say one would now benefit by saying dont go to Kenya, come to Tanzania instead, he said.
Tanzanias best option would be to double the marketing of its tourist attractions and hope to win more customers.
Kenya is currently in high gear to counter the insecurity threats to the sector, Mr Mussa said. It will serve us better to market our attractions more.
Two weeks ago, hundreds of British tourists were evacuated from Kenya after the Foreign Office warned against all but essential travel to parts of the country due to terrorism threats.
Instead of letting these tourists fly back to Europe, stakeholders argued, Tanzania could have done something to make these tourists stay in the region.
It is discouraging to note that tourists are taken back to Europe while there are more attractions in Tanzania than in Kenya, said Tanzania Air Operators Association Executive Secretary Laurence Paul.
If Tanzanians were keen enough on business they would have found an alternative way to bring those tourists to the country.
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Matt 10 hours ago The best marketing Tanzania can do is to stop the slaughter of its wildlife, especially elephants, and stop plans for a highway through the Serengeti.
Abdalah Kileo 11 hours ago I have been visiting different countries and whenever you mention that your coming from East Africa the next question is Kenya?!And this has been historical problem.....Tanzania has never taken step to markets their attraction.....We have very few people who can think out of the box.On the other hand Kenya has inter-vain the Somali home affairs...and this should be the lesson for Tanzania not to be driven by westerners on the so called Terrorism...i dont think these the so called Al-Shabab are there to kill people....if you look them carefully they have great support from the westerners who are after our resources,the instability of Africa is the only way through for them.
By Veneranda Sumila ,The Citizen Reporter
Posted Wednesday, May 28 2014 at 00:00
In Summary
Our concern is the whole region. If these tourists could stay in East Africa, the whole region would have benefited in one way or another.
Dar es Salaam. Any chances that Tanzanias tourism could gain from the terrorist attacks in Kenya have been dampened by poor marketing skills and the neighbourhood factor, The Citizen has learnt.
Early this month, some Western countries evacuated their citizens from Kenya following what they saw as a fragile security situation caused by a series of Al-Shabab attacks.
The cancellations will cost Kenya $57 million (Sh105 billion).
But while the situation in Kenya could well have been a blessing in disguise for Tanzanias tourism sector, the Tanzania National Parks (Tanapa) Director of Tourism and Marketing, Mr Ibrahim Mussa, told The Citizen that tourists generally do not draw a clear line between African countries.
Tourists and their agents in the West are poor in geography and history, Mr Mussa said.
They tend to view us as Africa or East Africa in terms of regional placing for their market purposes, so it is difficult to say one would now benefit by saying dont go to Kenya, come to Tanzania instead, he said.
Tanzanias best option would be to double the marketing of its tourist attractions and hope to win more customers.
Kenya is currently in high gear to counter the insecurity threats to the sector, Mr Mussa said. It will serve us better to market our attractions more.
Two weeks ago, hundreds of British tourists were evacuated from Kenya after the Foreign Office warned against all but essential travel to parts of the country due to terrorism threats.
Instead of letting these tourists fly back to Europe, stakeholders argued, Tanzania could have done something to make these tourists stay in the region.
It is discouraging to note that tourists are taken back to Europe while there are more attractions in Tanzania than in Kenya, said Tanzania Air Operators Association Executive Secretary Laurence Paul.
If Tanzanians were keen enough on business they would have found an alternative way to bring those tourists to the country.
1 | 2 | 3 Next Pag
Matt 10 hours ago The best marketing Tanzania can do is to stop the slaughter of its wildlife, especially elephants, and stop plans for a highway through the Serengeti.
Abdalah Kileo 11 hours ago I have been visiting different countries and whenever you mention that your coming from East Africa the next question is Kenya?!And this has been historical problem.....Tanzania has never taken step to markets their attraction.....We have very few people who can think out of the box.On the other hand Kenya has inter-vain the Somali home affairs...and this should be the lesson for Tanzania not to be driven by westerners on the so called Terrorism...i dont think these the so called Al-Shabab are there to kill people....if you look them carefully they have great support from the westerners who are after our resources,the instability of Africa is the only way through for them.