The Tanzanian government has recently announced that an increase in the tourism sector’s budget will be undertook in 2016 aiming at creating new products and attracting more tourists to the country to boost the sector’s economic contribution.
The announcement was made by Prof. Jumanne Maghembe after his appointment as the new Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, a position at which he had already served between 2006 and 2008 and that follows its role as Minister of Water and Irrigation from February, 2012, to November, 2015.
A major budget would able the Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) to design new products and adopt more innovative strategies to be more competitive in the international marketplace, explained Minister Maghembe.
It would help to attract up to 3 million international visitors in 2018 and double the sector’s contribution to GDP from the current USD 2 billion to USD 4 million in the same period, he added.
To reach this goal, Tanzania mainly aims at the US as one of its most important markets, reason why former President Jakaya Kikwete started in September, 2015, the campaign “Tanzania, the Soul of Africa” to brand the country through broadcasts in CNN and BBC, Minister Maghembe stressed.
Launched in September 2015 the campaign “Tanzania, the Soul of Africa” is compounded by three elements: the Tanzania tourism app, the tourism destination portal and the 30 seconds TV advert that started to be aired in October, 2015.
The latter was however interrupted due to a debt of TZS 3.7 billion that could not be covered since the TTB lacked the required funds according to Minister Maghembe.
To clear all debts and come up with new ideas to market the country’s attractions, the TTB would need a budget of TZS 15 billion or 7% up from the budget assigned last year according to Devota Mdachi, TTB Acting Managing Director.
