TTB GETS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has appointed Ambassador Charles Sanga the new Chairman of Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB). Meanwhile, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Hon. Ezekiel Maige (MP), has appointed five members to the Board, where they will serve for three years. They are Prof. Isaya Jairo of the Institute of Finance Management (IFM), Ms Teddy Mapunda, The Serengeti Breweries Public Relations Director, Hon Abdulkarim Shah, Member of Parliament for Mafia, Hon Kaika Telele, Member of Parliament for Ngorongoro and a tourism sector stakeholder, Mr. Samuel Diah
QATAR Airways has announced the launch of flights from Doha to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) starting July this year.
Qatar Airways (Photo Courtesy)
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said this at the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel show that took place in the German capital last week.
A statement issued by Qatar Airways and a copy availed to the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday said the airliner will serve KIA with Airbus A320 via Nairobi. On his part, CEO of Kilimanjaro Airport Development Company (KADCO), Mr Marco van de Kreeke, said the link with Qatar Airways which enjoys strong global network will improve connections to the Middle East, India, China and other Asian destinations.
He was optimistic that the daily service to Doha will further stimulate the growth and help the airport fulfill its mission of becoming the most preferred gateway to the Northern tourism circuit of Tanzania.”We are very happy with the Qatar Airways move to fly to KIA. Connections to Australia and New Zealand will also improve.
Travellers from Europe and America will have another option to reach Kilimanjaro”, he said. He said the Doha hub provides many connection opportunities to big capitals and cities around the world. “For example, London which will be soon served from Doha by Qatar Airways five times a day is the biggest market source for Kilimanjaro”, he added.
The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Managing Director Dr Aloyce Nzuki while commenting on the importance of the new route, said there are plenty of benefits for the Northern Tourism Circuit. “Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Arusha and Manyara regions host some of the most unique and important tourist attractions in the country. We expect the benefits to spread over to the entire area”, he said.
He said the Kilimanjaro route is one of the fastest growing hubs in today’s aviation industry and for the development of tourism potentials in the country. Qatar Airways has been voted best airline in the world. We believe this quality product matches the many unique experiences that our National Parks offer to the discerning traveller of today,” he added.
The announcement of Qatar Airways comes shortly after the company had secured 35 million US dollars (about 56bn/-) boost to give the airport a facelift. The renovation work which covers upgrading of runway, taxiways and aprons started in January this year. The project will also include building of a new taxiway to increase the capacity of the airport, upgrading and expansion of the terminal building to meet the growing number of passengers.
Kilimanjaro International Airport currently serves 650,000 passengers per year with the number of international arrivals increasing consistently by nearly 15 per cent per year since 2003. Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 105 aircraft to 112 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.
By Tanzania Daily News (Dar Es Salaam)
The Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) has prepared a community awareness programme on their role and importance of investing on cult
TTB Information Officer, Mr William Halula said on Tuesday that the programme aims at ensuring society is fully involved in tourism and promote traditional activities which attract tourists. Mr Halule was speaking in Dar es Salaam during a sustainable tourism training programme organized by Responsible Tourism Tanzania (RTTZ) and funded by the British High Commission that focused on educating tourism business operators on responsible tourism and eco-certification schemes.
According to Mr Halula, cultural tourism has become very successful in other countries where people earn money from foreigners through traditional activities. “We have decided to establish this programme after experiencing how cultural activities have been attracting tourists, especially western countries where people have improved their livelihoods through their traditions,” he said.
He said in the beginning the programme would focus in Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma, Mbeya and Iringa regions where members of the community are still unaware of the potentials of their cultural activities in influencing tourists. Earlier, Travelife Consultant, Chris Thompson, one of the trainers, said that it was important for the country to promote cultural tourism due to the fact that most foreigners are currently interested in witnessing the real life and cultures of Tanzanians.
He said Tanzania has a lot to offer with very unique and attractive especially in the local communities where the real identity of Tanzanians was observed. “It is very important for the country to maintain its identity because through that tourists get interested to visit the country. Things like local dances, food, drinks and shelters should be exposed to tourists,” he said.
Damian Bell from RTTZ said that the government should strengthen its policies and ensure comprehensive monitoring of tourist activities for the development of its people.
By DORA TESHA, Tanzania Daily News
Preparations are underway for Tanzania to host The First Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in National P
Addressing a media conference in Dar es Salaam, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Ezekiel Maige, said his office had appointed a nine-member team of experts in the tourism industry to coordinate arrangements for the event held for the first time on the continent.
Hon. Ezekiel Maige, the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism
“The technical team draws its members from the Forestry and Beekeeping Division, the Wildlife, Tourism, Antiquities, Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), Ngorongoro Conservation Authority, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Zanzibar Commission for Tourism and other stakeholders in tourism and conservation,” Maige explained.
The establishment of the technical team under the leadership of the Director of Tourism, Ibrahim Mussa, explained the minister, was preceded by the event of signing an agreement between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in Berlin, Germany to signify general approval for the country to host the global convocation.
“The agreement was signed on March 9, 2012 during International Tour exhibitions held in Berlin and Tanzania was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Maimuna Tarishi and Dr Caleb Rifai for the UNWTO. The convocation will be held at the Arusha International Conference Centre between October 15 through 19, this year,” the minister clarified.
The event is considered to be of great significance to the local tour industry as the sector takes advantage of the opportunity to advertise the available tour destinations, services provided and learn about modern approach to sustain commendable quality standards of the industry.
He added, the ministry through TTB spent about USD 3.5 million annually to inform the world about the potential growth of tour industry but the anticipated international community provided a grand opportunity for Tanzania to promote all components of tourism. Neighbouring Kenya, for example, has a tourist promotion budget of about USD 30 million, nearly ten times of Tanzania while South Africa spends over USD 100 million for the purpose.
However, through establishment of Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) and the Tanzania Wildlife Services in pipeline, the ‘wheel’ will turn much faster. Among other strategies devised by TTB to promote tourism, said the minister, are identification of at least 12 major countries where tourists originate from an intensification of advertisement in those countries just to start with. Among the targeted countries are USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Japan, China and Scandinavian countries.
“At least 50 countries are expected to take part in the convocation. We have a lot to learn from our foreign counterparts but they too have much to learn from us such as community participation approach in the management of natural resources, successful supervision of national parks (currently 16 in number), management of reserved areas, game reserves and the like,” the Director of Tourism, Mussa, explained.
By BILHAM KIMATI,
Serengeti Featured in American Magazine
Serengeti and Southern Tanzania Featured on the Cover of the February 13, 2012 Issue of Travel Agent Magazine! Destination Tanzania was promoted as part of the cover story – “Travel for One” – an article about solo travel around the world. The Serengeti Plain was pictured on the cover of the magazine.
In addition, there was another article that focused only on Southern and Western Tanzania. Tour operators and destinations mentioned include the Africa Adventure Company, Expert Africa, Beho Beho, Jongomero Camp, and Coastal Aviation.
Jena Fox, the author of the segment on Tanzania, was on the June 2011 Tanzania Press Trip hosted by South African Airways. The Bradford Group, on behalf of the Tanzania Tourist Board, provided the author with information about Southern Tanzania.
For more information visit:
http://www.travelagentcentral.com/east-africa/tanzania
http://www.travelagentcentral.com/trends-research/travel-one
