Tanzania air transport is preparing to welcome Egyptair back to the country in June, following a 15 year absence.
Plans to bring the airline back to the country began in 2007 after a visit to Egypt by Tanzania’s vice president, Ali Mohamed Shein, where a meeting with the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, resulted in an agreement by the latter to explore the possibility of resuming the carriers operations in Tanzania.
According to a recent report by the East African, the airline will resume its operations following a study which declared the market “dynamic.”
“It is both a political and a business decision since the market in Tanzania is growing fast,” said Wael El Demerdash, Egyptair’s country manager for Tanzania, in the East African report, “The move will definitely strengthen the relationship between our two countries.”
Mr. El Demerdash went on to explain that due to an increase in visitors to Tanzania from Egypt, the company decided to postpone plans to open four alternative destinations in Africa so as to capitalize on the big business potential that the country is currently feeling.
“More Egyptians are now travelling to Tanzania and vice versa, so there is good trade between these two countries,” said Mr. EL Demerdash.
According to Mr. EL Demerdash, Egyptair will operate direct flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday between Cairo and Dar es Salaam.
In an interview with the East African, the managing director of the Tanzania Tourist Board, Peter Mwenguo, indicated that the increased presence of the airline in Tanzania will likely result in an increase in the amount of tourists in the country as it will offer tourists and travelers from the US easier access.
Mr. Mwenguo went on to say the Tanzania is increasingly becoming a popular tourist destination across the US, which has created an pressing demand for increased seat capacity and quantity of trans-Atlantic flights to the country.
Prior to resuming its flight operations, Egypt will host the Africa Travel Association’s (ATA) 34th Annual Congress in Cairo between May 17 and 22, which will bring together stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry, such as African tourism ministers and directors of national tourism boards as well as travel agents, tour operators, heads of non-governmental organizations, scholars and the media.
The topic of discussion at the Congress will revolve around the local and global challenges of global tourism promotion in Africa.
According to the ATA executive director, Edward Bergman, the ATA is looking forward to this assembly.
“The ATA is looking forward to engaging with the world’s leading travel and tourism specialists to bring the world to Africa,” he said.
