Wacha1
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- Dec 21, 2009
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Tanzania tourism industry gains international recognition
Hizo figures zitawapa watu flani kwikwi ya hali ya juu. karibu.
Lucas Liganga said:After decades of wrong diagnosis on Tanzania's ailing tourism industry, the early 2000s saw the country taking the harder but undisputedly better dose towards resuscitating the industry a re-launch of rigorous promotional campaigns.Concerted efforts by the Tanzanian government to promote the country's tourism industry by improving infrastructure and inviting investors in the tourism industry have started producing exciting results.Indeed, through tourism, Tanzania is bringing the world to Tanzania and Tanzania to the world since the country's diverse and booming industry is attracting record numbers of visitors from all over the world...
Tanzania, the largest country in East Africa, has dedicated more than 25 per cent of its land to wildlife conservation. It is the home of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest, and the country has eight world heritage sites, including the Serengeti, the site of the great animal migration, which was recently named the "New 7th Wonder of the World" by Good Morning America and USA Today. Leading Tanzania tourist attractions also include the Ngorongoro Crater, the Selous Game Reserve, Africa's largest protected wildlife reserve, and Stone Town on the spice islands of Zanzibar.
Tanzania received 719,031 tourists in 2007, 750,000 in 2008 and it expects to receive one million tourists this year. Tanzania earned US$1.35 billion from tourism in 2009, up from a projected $1.2 billion in 2008, making the sector the leading foreign exchange earner. Tanzania's main markets are Britain, Germany, US, Italy, France, Russia, Spain and Scandinavian countries.
The Tanzania Tourist Board Managing Director, Peter Mwenguo, says: "Tanzania expects to raise its profile and increase these numbers even more." Tanzania's tourism profile begun to be raised to international status in 2009 through global travel and leisure media-thanks to outstanding tourist services being rendered by a handful of lodges based in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, including the Singita Grumeti Reserves (SGR) lodges in the Serengeti, Kirawira camp also in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. A leading French luxury travel magazine Hôtel&Lodge singled out Singita Sasakawa, the flagship lodge of Singita Grumeti Reserves in Tanzania, as among the three Best Lodges in the world for 2009 with Kenya's Hippo Point and Pashan Garh of India.
This important milestone followed shortly after another international magazine called Condé Nast Traveler had ranked Singita Grumeti Reserves among the Top 10 Hotels in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean Islands, in the 2009 Readers' Travel Awards. Singita Grumeti Reserves was also listed as one of Top 20 Hotels in the World, and the Top 20 Lodges in Africa and the Middle East, in the 2009 Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. James Haigh, East Africa Sales and Marketing Manager for Singita Grumeti Reserves, says: "It is a singular honour for Singita Grumeti Reserves to be the first Tanzanian property to be awarded a major international accolade of this stature."
Singita Grumeti Reserves is situated in north-western Tanzania, along the world-famous wildebeest migratory route. It comprises three distinct, luxurious lodges of Singita Sabora Tented Camp, Singita Faru Faru Lodge and the flagship Singita Sasakwa Lodge. Boasting panoramic views, Singita Sasakwa lodge is built in the style of a turn-of-the-century, East African Ranch House, boasting 10 spacious suites, styled in plush opulence. In contrast to the untouched wilderness surrounding the lodge, all mod-cons are provided, from private lounges with fireplaces, to spacious bathrooms and cool verandas with cliff-side, private infinity pools.
Singita Sasakwa also houses a state-of-the-art Equestrian Centre, which stables 18 horses, offering guests an unmatched riding experience within the 350,000 acre (140,000 hectare) private concession.
Additionally, the Singita Grumeti Reserves was last year listed as the 16th best in the world's 100 hotels for 2009 by America's leading "Travel and Leisure" magazine published in July 2009.
The Travel and Leisure magazine which is the leading magazine in the tourism industry and respected by worldwide stakeholders also listed Kirawira camp in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater Lodge in the list of the best 100 hotels. Grumeti Reserves Lodges opened its doors to customers in 2004/05 and since then had been scooping various international awards in the tourism industry, including Global Vision Awards 2006 (USA) and Luxury Lodge Ecotourism 2007. SGR Managing Director Graham Ledger says: "We are thrilled that Singita Grumeti Reserves has been recognised with significant awards in 2009 – this is indeed an honour for us all and it reflects the most important aspect of our business in that our guests are more than satisfied with our offering, this of course is not limited to our lodges but embraces a far larger holistic experience that is the game viewing, the destination and the hospitality of Tanzania."
He adds: "All of these other elements have to be in place in order to make a world traveler feel ‘at home' – I'm very proud of all of our staff for these achievements and we will all endeavor to rise even further in 2010." He adds that the listing will attract more tourists of the high caliber from all over the world and it shows that the Tanzanian tourism industry was getting international recognition. "The awards are globally renowned and underline what it is to be amongst the best of the best," says Ledger. He says Grumeti Reserves was among few luxury joints in East and Central Africa which takes conservation seriously by allowing few customers.
The Singita Grumeti Reserves is also pioneering wildlife conservation through its fund called Singita Grumeti Fund which works in collaboration with the Arusha-based Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) and the Wildlife Division in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
Since 2002, when the Singita Grumeti Fund was first established, resident wildlife numbers within the Singita Grumeti Reserves have increased by 59 per cent today, offering what has been rated as the ' best wildlife, safari and ecotourism experience ' in all of East Africa, says the Singita Grumeti Fund Managing Director Brian Harris. Harris says: "Prior to the establishment of the Singita Grumeti Fund, unsustainable illegal poaching and uncontrolled legal hunting resulted in the virtual collapse of resident wildlife populations within this area." He says this undermined the tourist potential of the reserves, as well as the capability of neighbouring communities to utilise natural resources in a sustainable manner within the context where there were few alternative economic opportunities to secure livelihoods.
The dramatic increase in wildlife numbers may be attributed directly to the immense success of the Singita Grumeti Fund law enforcement programme conducted in collaboration with the Wildlife Division as well as securing critical habitat and resident wildlife populations, and improving ecosystem integrity. "Scouts employed are mostly former poachers who, after passing an intensive selection course, were recruited and trained to implement law enforcement activities within the reserves," says Harris, citing examples of increasing number of buffalo from 600 in 2003 to over 3,500 in 2009, eland from 252 to 1,600, warthog from 235 to 2,427, and waterbuck from 212 to 841. The recovery in resident game numbers has also resulted in the recovery of predator populations where lion, cheetah and hyena are now commonly sighted, and occasionally, even leopard, says the Singita Grumeti Fund chief.
He adds that the improved security within the area has also paved the way for the reintroduction of black rhino into the area in 2007. After poaching, invasive alien plants are considered as one of the greatest threats to conservation in East Africa. The Singita Grumeti Fund, also in collaboration with TAWIRI and the Wildlife Division, has spearheaded a pilot project to control invasive alien species within its reserves. "Not only will this assist in securing the indigenous biodiversity, it will also create increased awareness, leading to the expansion of similar projects into other protected areas within Tanzania," says Harris adding that the non-profit Singita Grumeti Fund operates four specialist divisions of wildlife management, law enforcement, ecological monitoring, and community outreach. He says: "Our programme is based on the three pillars principle: firstly to secure the wildlife resources, then to develop a tourism industry base on this thriving wildlife resource…" He adds: "… and finally to use this industry to support and stimulate the local economy in such a way as to provide people with access to alternative, sustainable livelihoods, where they come to value a thriving wildlife resource through seeing it as inextricably linked to their long term economic security."
Harris says Singita Grumeti Fund is proud to be able to make a significant contribution to nature conservation and sustainability in Tanzania. The Singita Grumeti Fund has spent millions of shillings in fulfilling its corporate responsibility by undertaking various development projects in its neighbouring villages of Kyandege, Mugeta, Mariwanda, Kihumbu, Hunyari, Mihale and Nyamatoke in Bunda District and Natta Mbisso, Makundusi, Nyichoka, Park Nyigoti, Rwanchanga, Bonchugu, Singisi, Iharara, Motukeri and Miseke in Serengeti District, Mara Region.
For example, in December 2009, the Singita Grumeti Reserves handed over a 567m/- (about 430,000 US dollars) new Burunga Primary School to the government and 13 water harvesting tanks of 3,000 liters each. Handing over the school, Graham Ledger said: "Education is the key to all of our futures, and we hope that the new Burunga School will facilitate the education of all those who pass through its doors and that it will provide a sound footing for all pupils to benefit accordingly and to grow into any chosen role that any pupil wishes to pursue." He said Tanzania was a land of great opportunity for all, it was a beautiful land and he hoped that the school would assist in making many dreams come true.
On water harvesting, Ledger said: "As you all know the harnessing of natural resources such as rainwater is of great importance to us all – each of us must accept a responsibility to do what we can to reverse the harmful effects of global warming – harvesting rainwater is a very responsible action that Burunga have taken in playing a part in this global project."
Hizo figures zitawapa watu flani kwikwi ya hali ya juu. karibu.
